A Modern Day Pride and Prejudice
by CrazyCatLadyomgiluvcatssomuch
Summary: I have written this as closely to the real Pride and Prejudice as I could, but no one can write like the wonderful Jane Austen.
1. Chapters 1

**A Modern Day Pride and Prejudice**

**Chapter One**

_It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife._

"Did you know that the new neighbours will be moving in tomorrow? You know the house on Netherfield Road, that big mansion of a house?"

_However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood-_

"No I didn't know."

_-this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families-_

"Yes, well I just found out from Mrs. Long; the sweet little old lady next door and she told me all about it. Do you know who is moving in?"

_-that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters._

"I have no idea and I'm sure you'll tell me whether I do or do not want to hear it" sighed my father flipping a page of his newspaper.

"The family's name is Bingley and they have three children, a son and two daughters, and another boy staying with them and they're very rich doctors and they're planning to attend the neighbour charity party event next week after they're all moved in and settled and possibly make a donation! Imagine such a respected family living in the small town of Meryton!" gushed my mother with enthusiasm.

I heaved a sigh and folded over the top corner of _Pride and Prejudice_. My mother's voice was too loud and distracting to ignore so I decided to give up reading and focus on their conversation.

"Do you know how old the kids are?" my mother asked with excitement in her blue eyes.

"Hmm? No I'm afraid I don't, why don't you just tell me instead of having me guess?" said my father patiently. He also laid his reading material with a sigh and gave me a 'this might take a while' look accompanied with a roll of his brown eyes. I smiled back knowingly. Once my mother got going, it was difficult to keep her from saying what she wanted to say.

"Well," continued my mother oblivious to our exchange, "One daughter is nineteen, the other is seventeen, the son is eighteen and the boy living with them is eighteen as well!"

"And why do you think I care how old the children are?" asked my father in a bored voice, tired of the subject, "What do you suppose their ages mean to me?"

"Dear!" my mother exclaimed exasperated, "Don't you think it would be nice if our girls became friends with their girls! And maybe Jane or Mary would be interested in their son and the other boy! It would be lovely to see Mary with a boyfriend instead of locking herself in her room and playing that piano all day!" I rolled my eyes at this.

"I see you have this all planned out my Dear. Tell me, don't you think the girls should have a say in this? And you never know, maybe one of the boys will take an interest in you." teased my father.

"Of course I don't plan these sorts of things! And you know very well I'm not interested in younger men!" my mother said flustered. "I just don't think we should let this opportunity go to waste. Maybe we could send Jane over with a plate of cookies or something to welcome them to the neighbourhood. She is the prettiest by far."

"Why not send Lizzie over? I'm sure they will find her pleasing, she is witty and she won't drop the plate on the way over unlike the other girls, they are much sillier than Lizzie." argued my father smiling at me. I was the daddy's girl in the family for sure.

"You annoy me so! Just leave this up to me!" my mother said ending the conversation by standing up and walking out of the family room with her charity planning clipboard and notes tucked under her arm. My father gave me another eye roll and picked up his paper, reading where he left off. I decided that the only placed I was to have any peace to read was up in my room with the door closed.

As I sat on my bed and began reading again I considered the possibilities the new neighbours would bring. Of course the boys would be interested in Jane; she was the prettiest and eldest of us five Bennett daughters. At age eighteen with her long golden waving hair, fair complexion, sapphire eyes and polite to a fault personality, she was admired by many boys at our school. She was always happy, courteous and pleasant to be around. Maybe she would date one of the boys or become best friends with the two daughters.

I laughed out loud when I considered Mary, the middle child at age sixteen in our large family, dating a well-groomed rich boy. Unknown to my parents, Mary did have a boyfriend and he was the exact opposite of what my mother admired; tattooed, pierced and a detention goer. I kept Mary's secret for her and no one else in the family knew otherwise. Mary wouldn't befriend the Bingley girls; she had no friends besides her boyfriend and preferred the company of her piano. She had mousey hair, a pale complexion, a plain face, and was quiet, shy and kept to herself as much as possible.

Lydia and Kitty would not likely become friends with the new girls either, they were thirteen and fourteen and much too hyper, silly and immature to be friends with older, mature and well mannered girls. Of course Lydia and Kitty would be interested in the two boys; they were notorious boy-crazed fiends at school. At the moment Lydia was undecided between three boys and Kitty was dating two and seeing one on the side. Every night after school they would each bring home a new boy and lead them up to their bedroom lairs for who knows what kind of torture. Lydia was the leader between the two of them and being the youngest she always got what she wanted. She was the tallest out of the five of us and quite pretty. Though Kitty was one year older she followed Lydia's example and was also pretty. They were both loud, funny, obnoxious and boy-crazy. Mary, Lydia and Kitty looked most like our mother, where I looked most like our father and Jane looked adopted, her beauty left her excluded.

I thought about how my mother would force herself on the Bingley family as soon as possible wanting to make friends with the right kind of people, rich people in her eyes. My mother was once a very pretty woman, but the stress of five teenage daughters created lines and wrinkles on her once smooth youthful face.

Though my father seemed to care less about the news of new neighbours, I knew he did it mostly to annoy our mother. He was really a kind, generous man and would most likely become good friends with the new Bingley neighbours.

Looking in the mirror on my bedside table, I considered what the new neighbours would mean to me. My shoulder length dark brown hair was pinned back except my bangs that- according to my mother were 'too long'- hung over my brown eyes. I had pale skin with a few freckles dotting my nose and round cheeks. I was not beautiful like Jane, but I was not as plain as Mary. I couldn't see myself befriending the posh rich girls and boys; I had a slight attitude towards snobby rich kids and I was also too judgemental, too opinionated for my mother's liking. She said I was rude and but my father called it wit. I didn't need new friends anyway, I had several close friends at school and that was enough for me. Besides the new Bingley girls probably wouldn't want to be my friend, and the boys will have no interest in me. With that settled I returned to my book and immersed myself in the world of Jane Austen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

When the Bingley family moved to our small town three days later, it was my father that brought them a housewarming gift, not Jane much to my mother's dismay. After he returned he told us that the family was very nice and the children were very well mannered. My mother was overjoyed that he had made the trip and in her good mood she baked a fresh batch of banana muffins much to the excitement of the whole family. As Kitty reached for one she let out a loud cough.

"Oh Kitty! Cover your mouth, you might infect us all!" my mother scolded.

"Yes Kitty, you should be able to control your coughs, you have inconvienced us all." my father remarked dryly.

"I can't control when I cough!" Kitty protested grabbing two muffins as my mother left the kitchen.

"Now you can cough as much as you want Kitty!" announced my father quickly interrupted by Lydia.

"Don't pig out Kitty," chided Lydia lounging across the kitchen table, "We have to look our best tonight, the Bingley boy and his friend will be at the charity party tonight and you don't want to be popping out of your dress do you?"

"Oh Lydia it's only a muffin!" remarked Jane, "you both will look lovely, no matter how many muffins you eat." She smiled and patted Kitty's hand.

"Oh Jane," my mother cooed, "You are such a sweet girl!" I rolled my eyes and made a gagging motion towards Jane, who smirked and rolled her eyes back.

"Well I am going to get ready!" announced Lydia as she got up and skipped out of the room followed by Kitty.

"It's only ten in the morning!" protested Mary, "how long does it take to put a dress on?"

"It takes hours of preparation," my father said sarcastically with a smile, "to exfoliate, wax, cleanse, tone, make-up and paint nails."

"How is it that you know more about that sort of thing than I do?" complained Mary.

"My dear," my father said patiently, "I have lived with six women for a very very long time."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Later that evening I found myself sitting in Jane's room on her bed with rollers in my hair and a mascara brush being poked in my eyes.

"Is this really necessary Jane?" I complained as she wiped some shiny gloss across my lips, "I mean you are obviously the prettiest, why should the rest of us even bother trying to compete! We won't succeed!"

"Lizzie," Jane said distractedly while brushing something on my cheeks, "I'm flattered, thank you, but you are very pretty as well. I'm sure many boys at the party will be enchanted."

I pulled away from her hand and raised an eyebrow. She gave me a confused look and pulled my face towards hers and continued with her mission.

"You are a pretty girl Lizzie! Your problem is that sometimes you can be a little on the judgemental side, that's all! Sometimes boys find a head strong girl intimidating, it's not that you're unattractive!" Her pretty face was so earnest I almost believed her. Almost.

"What do boys like then, besides a pretty face? Girls that don't speak their mind or have their own opinions are appealing to them? Well, whatever you say Jane!"

"Yes," Jane mumbled absently completely missing my point and pulling the rollers out of my hair, "There, all done! You do look quite nice when you are all done up Lizzie!"

"And you Jane darling," I said laughing taking her hands in mine, "Look like the most beautiful angel!" She had a long white dress on that was strapless and very flattering. I looked down at myself and sighed in disappointment. My deep blue, long-sleeve, backless, knee-length dress looked better on the mannequin at the store. I looked like a gargoyle standing next to Jane, but as there was nothing I could do about it, I slipped my matching blue flats and followed Jane out of her room and down the stairs.

Stepping out of our car and walking into the big hall hosting the charity event, I noted that my mother had done an excellent decorating job. I heard my father compliment my mother on her work and smiled, as much as he teased and annoyed her, he always knew how to make up for it and I knew that he really cared for her. I glanced over at Lydia and Kitty who were wearing tight fitting and quite revealing dresses for their age. My father had given them disapproving looks but that didn't stop them. As soon as we stepped into the hall, both Lydia and Kitty disappeared with their boyfriends. Looking around the room I saw some of my friends from school, many of our neighbours and a live band playing. I felt a hand slip into mine, looked up at Jane and returned her excited smile. Mary, Jane and I circled the room and greeted everyone before slipping into our seats at our table with our parents. Dinner was served and afterward there was to be dancing. I spotted my best friend Charlotte Lucas across the hall with her family at a table and waved to her. As people were finishing their dinner, my mother- one of the planners of this event- made her way up onto the stage and began to make an announcement.

"Hello," she began slightly nervous as she folded and unfolded her hands, "and welcome to the twenty fifth annual Meryton summer charity neighbourhood-"

She was cut off as the doors to the hall swung open and several well dressed people walked in silencing the whole room. This was obviously the Bingley family, Mrs. Bingley was a tall red-headed older elegant woman accompanied by a handsome dark-haired older man- Mr. Bingley. The two daughters were surprisingly plain looking- I had pictured them to be very beautiful like Jane- and both red-heads as well with bored expressions on their unremarkable faces. The Bingley boy was also a red-head and he was very handsome, like his father. He had clear blue eyes and a happy perfect looking smile on his pleasant face. The other boy- the friend staying with them I assumed- was the most attractive of them all. He was quite tall and pale with rich dark wavy hair and large intelligent dark eyes. He did not smile like his friend, but looked down his perfectly straight nose with a slight smug look on his face.

"Hello hello." whispered Lydia wiggling her eyebrows, followed by a giggle from Kitty as they looked over the two boys with great interest in their eyes.

"Uhh, please welcome the Bingleys to the Meryton Charity Event Party!" my mother announced after a short silence and continued, "Please enjoy your evening everyone!" and left the stage to return to our table. The band started up shortly after and people flooded the dance floor. Everyone was eager to meet the new family and my mother dragged me and my sisters over and waited to meet them.

"Stand up straight Mary, Lydia stop sticking your chest out, Kitty don't encourage her, Jane," my mother reached over and tucked a golden curl behind Jane's ear, "you look so pretty dear, and Lizzie," my mother turned to me and pinched my cheeks, "there, now you have some colour in your cheeks. I must say that you look almost as pretty as Jane tonight Lizzie!" My mouth must have been hanging open because she reached over and pushed it closed. Standing beside my mother, my father winked and smiled at me.

When we reached the front of the line my mother took over and made introductions on behalf of our family and rained compliments on the Bingley family.

"Oh thank you Mrs. Bennett," replied Mrs. Bingley awkwardly to one of my mother's compliments. I pinched my mother's arm and gave her a stern look.

"This is my husband; Mr. Bingley and these are our daughters; Caroline and Louisa," Mrs. Bingley gestured towards the two girls, "And this is our son, Charles" she rested her hand on his shoulder. "And Charles friend from school is staying with us for the summer, this is William Darcy." she gestured towards the dark-haired boy standing next to Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Bingley began asking my parents questions about the town, Mary excused herself to play the grand piano in the hall, Kitty and Lydia raced off to the washrooms to fix their make-up which left Jane and I alone with the Bingley kids and William.

"I am very very pleased to meet you!" announced Charles enthusiastically shaking Jane's hand for too long. She blushed, looked down and smiled when he finally let her hand go- unwillingly. Caroline and Louisa excused themselves quietly and walked away.

"I am pleased to meet you as well." murmured Jane shyly after the two girls had left.

"Come dance with me?" Charles asked hopefully, a bright smile spreading across his cute face. Jane nodded and they went off together after Charles winked at William and nodded to me. I could feel my face getting hot and when I looked up, he was staring down at me with an unfriendly expression on his face.

"So...h-how-how do you like the sunny weather in Meryton so far William?" I asked after a few awkward seconds of silence.

"Must we make small talk?" he asked sourly, "I can think of far more intellectual topics to discuss than the weather." He rolled his eyes and turned away from me about to leave.

"And I can think of far more adjectives to describe your attitude," I shot back reaching out to grab his arm- which I noted was unfortunately quite strong, "but I'll settle with abominable."

"Very clever." He said sarcastically as his long fingers moved my hand off of his arm. I noticed as our hands touched I felt a slight shock. He looked curiously into my eyes for a fraction of a second before turning and walking away.

I couldn't believe it! We had just met and he was a complete jerk! I wandered around fuming until I found Charlotte and told her what had happened. She had been my closest friend since we were young and we tell each other everything.

"I don't know what I did wrong! I didn't insult him," I said, then smiled sheepishly, "...well only after he was rude first."

"Lizzie!" scolded Charlotte laughing, "What did you say to him? You need to learn to keep your mouth shut and your temper under control!"

"You know that's impossible," I said referring to her advice, "but all I said was that he had an awful attitude! I could have said something much worse like-" Charlotte suddenly grabbed me and pulled me behind one of the pillars in the hall. I was about to ask her what was wrong but I could see Charles Bingley and William Darcy talking quietly where we were standing just moments before. It seemed that Charles was trying to persuade William to do something.

"Come on Will," pleaded Charles, "Stop standing around looking proud and dance with someone!"

"You know I hate dancing," sighed William rolling his eyes, "The only girls I would dance with are your sisters and they're busy right now. Besides, it would be torture to dance with any of the other girls here."

"I have never seen so many pretty girls in my life!" exclaimed Charles, "Some of them are abnormally attractive." As he said this, he stared out onto the dance floor where Jane was dancing with another boy.

"You were dancing with the only pretty girl here!" accused William.

"She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," smiled Charles with a dreamy look on his face, "But her sister Elizabeth is quite pretty as well. I could ask her to dance with you?"

"Yeah, she's alright I guess," mumbled William, bored of the subject, "but she's not pretty enough to interest me. You should go and dance with Jane again; I'm not in a very good mood right now." Charles shook his head and walked quickly and eagerly towards Jane. William walked towards the bar. I turned to look at Charlotte and we both burst into fits of laughter.

"I can't believe he said that about you Lizzie!" exclaimed Charlotte, "That was so mean!"

"Yes well, at least Charles is a nice guy, and he does seem quite interested in Jane" I said dismissing Charlotte's comment.

"Well Lizzie," Charlotte said putting her arm around my shoulder and steering me towards he dance floor, "he's not good enough for you anyways!"

"He's not pretty enough to interest me!" I said in a deep snobby voice causing Charlotte to laugh again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"I have never met anyone like him Lizzie." murmured Jane as she stretched out across her bed after the charity event party, "He is so kind and polite and sweet and-"

"And he's good looking!" I announced laughing, "That makes him perfect!"

"I was so shocked that he asked me to dance so many times!" Jane said with a confused look on her angelic pale face.

"Yes, I can't believe it either!" I laughed sarcastically, "Really Jane, when are you going to realize that you are the most beautiful person on the planet? Actually, I hope you don't because then you wouldn't be the good, sweet, kind and polite Jane we all know and love. I don't think you have ever insulted anyone in your whole life!"

"I just say what I think," Jane said rolling her blue eyes.

"I also just say what I think, and it gets me in trouble!" I sighed, "You are so blind to other peoples' faults! And of course I'm sure you think that Caroline and Louisa are just as kind as Charles?"

"Yes, they seemed nice enough," Jane said dismissing my opinion, "I think they are going to be nice neighbours." I just laughed, kissed her on the forehead and said goodnight.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Charlotte and her mother came over to our house the next morning to discuss the success of the charity event and to do what my mother does best- gossip.

"I see Charles Bingley took a liking to you Charlotte." my mother said slyly.

"Oh, no I don't think so," Charlotte said flustered, "he only danced with me once, and that was because Jane was dancing with someone else. I think it's Jane that he likes."

"Yes, well he did dance with her the most didn't he?" my mother said smugly.

"Well I heard that Mr. Robinson asked Charles if there were any pretty girls that caught his eye at the party last night," began Mrs. Lucas, loving the sport of gossip as much as my mother, "And Charles said that Jane was the most attractive!" This news caused my mother to squeal and to squeeze Jane's hand.

"He would make such a nice boyfriend Jane!" my mother said pleased, "And to think he'll be here all summer!"

"How can someone as kind as Charles have a grouchy friend like that William boy?" Charlotte questioned, "He talked to no one that evening besides the Bingley family!"

"He can't be that bad," Jane argued naively, "I saw him sitting next to you, Mrs. Lucas, he must have said something."

"Well I asked him how he liked Meryton, and he replied quite angrily!" Mrs. Lucas confirmed.

"I asked Caroline about William," said Jane, determined to find something nice to say about him, "and she said he is shy around strangers but he's very open and kind around his close friends and family."

"I still say he is very rude and proud," my mother stated, "and he should have danced with Lizzie."

"I wouldn't dance with him if I were you." said Charlotte squeezing my hand and smiling.

"Oh don't worry," I assured her, "I never will."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"Jane where is the white silk table cloth?" my mother called up the stairs anxiously.

"It in the closet under the stairs!" Jane yelled back down the stairs.

My mother had invited the Bingley family and the Lucas family over for dinner and she was running around the house like a madwoman, re-cleaning our best silverware and continuously smoothing her perfectly ironed shirt.

I was sitting on my bed while Charlotte painted my toenails dark red when Jane stuck her head in my room.

"Lizzie? Charlotte?" she questioned anxiously, "Will you help me pick something out?" We followed Jane to her room and were surprised to see her usually neat and spotless room to be a complete mess with clothes strewn all over the place.

"Wow." I said amazed and she dragged me over to her bed where seven different outfits were laid out. I pointed to the ice blue summer dress, "You should wear that one; it matches your eyes. Charles with be dazzled!" I said giggling.

"Thank you Lizzie!" she said throwing her arms around my neck, "What are you wearing tonight?" I went back to my room and changed into the short dark red dress I had bought on sale.

"That looks really cute with the nail polish you're wearing!" Jane said earnestly changing into the dress I picked out.

"JANE, LIZZIE! HURRY UP!" my mother yelled up the stairs, "THE BINGLEY'S WILL BE HERE ANY MINUTE!" I rolled my eyes and Jane gave an excited smile as we made our way down the stairs while Charlotte followed. As I reached the bottom step, the door bell rang and my mother flew to the door and opened it quickly.

"Hello, welcome to our home." she said calmly, as if she wasn't just running around a moment before like a chicken with its head cut off. Mr. and Mrs. Bingley stepped in and followed my mother out to our large back deck where we were to have dinner. Louisa stepped in next holding the hand of a boy I didn't recognize. He was introduced as Malcolm Hurst, Louisa's boyfriend. Caroline followed them out to the back deck with a quiet hello to Jane. Charles and William were the last to come in and Charles greeted Jane with a bright smile and followed her out to the deck. William gave me a slight nod and brushed past me and Charlotte out the back door. Charlotte gave me a shocked look and I shrugged my shoulders.

"How long have you and William known each other?" my mother questioned Charles politely. We were sitting around her large table covered in her favourite silk table cloth. My mother was sitting at one end of the table, my father at the other, the Lucas family and my sisters on one side and the Bingley family on the other. Charles had positioned himself to sit right across from Jane whom I was sitting next to; William was sitting next to Charles and was unfortunately sitting across from me.

"Hmm? Oh!" my mother's question had interrupted Charles from staring across the table at Jane who had her head down and was blushing from the intensity of his gaze, "Since we were ten, right Will?

"Oh...I'm sorry what was that?" William asked distractedly. I glanced up to see what was keeping him preoccupied and found myself staring into his dark brown eyes.

"We've known each other since we were ten right?" Charles repeated and William agreed breaking our staring contest and looking down at his plate.

After we had finished eating we broke into small groups around our large backyard. Charlotte and I were sitting under a big tree watching my sisters- apart from Mary who was up in her room playing her piano- playing a game of soccer with Charles, and Charlotte's sister Maria. Caroline, Malcolm, Louisa and William were sitting at a small table on the lawn playing a quiet game of cards while our parents sat around the deck table talking and laughing. Charles was the goalie and kept letting Jane score to the dismay of his teammates.

"It's so obvious that he likes her, and that she likes him." I told Charlotte happily shredding apart a leaf into tiny strips.

"Yes it's obvious on his part," Charlotte agreed braiding her light brown hair, "but it's hard to tell if she likes him as well, she should make _her_ affection more obvious."

"Of course she likes him!" I said shocked, "If I can see it, he would have to be a blind fool not to!"

"Well you do know her better than the rest of us." allowed Charlotte, "I wish her good luck, they would make a cute couple." She untangled her braids and began again. "William is looking at you again."

Immediately I looked up to see him turning around and continuing his card game.

"I don't know what you mean by that Charlotte, he hates me!" I said.

"I don't think he hates you, after all you have only met once before this. But I do think that he doesn't believe what he stated before." she said slyly.

"I don't understand." I said suspiciously.

"Remember when he said you weren't pretty enough for him?" reminded Charlotte, "Well I don't think he means it anymore." I gave her an eye roll as I watched with surprise as William put down his cards, excused himself and walked over towards where Charlotte and I were sitting.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked standing over us, unsure.

"No, have a seat." Charlotte said before I could tell him to buzz off. I glared at Charlotte as he sat down next to her.

"What were you discussing before I joined you?" he asked.

"We were talking about the next charity event that my mother is planning." I said quickly before Charlotte could tell him the truth.

"And will there be dancing at that party?" asked Will. I gave him a confused look.

"Yes there usually is, why do you ask?" I questioned doubtfully.

"I must have seemed quite rude when we first met, allow me to apologize by dancing with you at the next event." He said smoothly staring into my eyes.

"I don't think that is such a good idea William," I said flustered taken aback by his request, "come on Charlotte let's join the soccer game." I pulled Charlotte up and dragged her over to where Jane was standing with the ball.

Caroline walked over towards the tree where Will was sitting alone with a surprising hint of a smile on his usually proud looking face. I shook my head, confused and passed the ball to Jane who then scored on Charles.

As the sky began to darken, the Lucas family said their goodbyes and left to go home. The Bingleys soon decided to go as well. My family followed theirs to our front door and William was the last to leave. He turned to look at me like he had something to say. The rest of my family had already left the front door and began cleaning up our house.

"Good night Elizabeth." He said formally extending his hand in a surprisingly polite gesture.

"It's Lizzie," I said shaking his large pale hand and feeling the same spark I felt when his hand touched mine the first time, "and good night."

"It's Will," he said letting go of my hand, "call me Will."

"Yes alright, good night... Will." I said trying to betray the surprise in my voice at his politeness.

"Good night Lizzie." he said softly with nod walking out the door following the Bingley family. I watched him walk away and saw him flex the hand I had shaken and curl it into a fist. Confused, I shut the front door and stared down at my hands.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"Did you hear, Kitty?" Lydia questioned excitedly the day after our dinner party, "a band of boys is coming to play at some of the cafes in town and they will be in the area for a month! I heard from Maria Lucas that the lead singer is really hot! "

"I can't wait!" squealed Kitty causing my father to plug his ears with a grimace on his face.

"You two are the silliest girls on the planet!" he grumbled as he pushed himself out of his favourite chair to find peace and quiet elsewhere in the house.

"How would you like to take a walk with me into town Kitty?" Lydia asked slyly.

"I think you should wait for the right opportunity to go," said Jane while she checked her e-mail on her laptop, "you don't want to seem too eager, after all the band has only been here for a day."

"You're right Jane! No wonder so many boys like you; you're always keeping them on their toes!" said Kitty, "I must try that technique sometime-"

"Yes," I said sarcastically, "because you don't have enough boyfriends as it is!" Kitty was about to argue back when Jane made a startled noise.

"Oh!" she said surprised scrolling through an e-mail, "Caroline has invited Lizzie and I over for a sleepover with her and Louisa, tonight! It also says that the boys won't be there because they will be out, so it will be a very girly evening."

"I won't be able to go because I'm going shopping with Charlotte but you should bring you're cell phone," I told Jane, "so that if they bring out the face masks or cucumbers you can send me a S.O.S."

"Lizzie!" Jane said laughing, "It will be a fun evening, I'm sure."

Later that evening Charlotte called to tell me she couldn't shop with me because she had to babysit her sister. I texted Jane the news and a few minutes later I received a text in reply.

Lizzie, the boys didn't end up going out. Caroline asked me to invite you over again. She says 'the more the merrier'. Please come Lizzie?

-Jane

Since I had nothing else to do I decided to go, after all, it was amusing to watch Jane and Charles together, I was also curious about Will. I gathered my bag and pillow and made my way down the street to the Bingley's huge house. When I rang the door bell it was Caroline who answered the door. She led me up the stairs and into a large bedroom that still had several unopened boxes in the corner. The large bed was made and Jane and Louisa were sitting on it with orange face masks on painting their nails.

"Lizzie! Come here, what do you think of my nails?" Jane called as I walked over to the bed and sat down.

"That's a nice colour pink." I complimented her, "You're bedroom is beautiful Louisa."

"Thanks," she said still focused on her nails, "I don't know what colour scheme to use yet though."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

After we began talking, I decided that I actually liked Caroline and Louisa. For the next two hours we lay on Louisa's big bed, the four of us discussing decorating ideas, school and our families until Charles walked in the room followed by Darcy who stayed near the door.

"What sort of disease have you contracted?" Charles burst out laughing as he took in our orange caked faces.

"It's called a face mask you twit!" corrected Louisa with a laugh, "it is supposed to make us beautiful!"

"You two need all the help you can get!" teased Charles pointing at his sisters.

"Ha ha!" said Caroline sarcastically, "It's supposed to smooth out the flaws and freshen our faces."

"Then why is Jane wearing one?" asked Charles shyly and I'm sure Jane blushed under the orange muck, "She doesn't need it."

"Will, do you think that Lizzie needs a face mask?" Caroline questioned him slyly confusing me, "Or do you think she is fine the way she is?" Embarrassed, I looked down and tried to concentrate on the white French manicure strips I was painting on the tips of my nails.

"I don't think any of you need a face mask." Will said carefully and when I looked up he was glaring at Caroline who wore a falsely innocent expression on her orange cakey face.

"Why don't you girls clean those off and meet us down stairs," suggested Charles, "Malcolm's here and you can show off your perfect freshened faces!"

Five minutes later, with fresh faces and shiny nails Caroline, Louisa, Jane and I went down stairs to the Bingley's family room where Charles and Malcolm were playing video games on a huge T.V mounted on the wall while Will sat on a nearby chair watching their game with a book resting in his lap. On the opposite wall was a huge book shelf overflowing with books and magazines. I slowly made my way over running my fingers over the many different covers until I found and interesting one. Malcolm offered the controller to Jane and sat on the couch next to Louisa. Caroline sat on a chair next to Will and watched Charles and Jane's game.

"Do you want to play Lizzie?" asked Charles after he let Jane win them all.

"Hmm?" I looked up, I had been absorbed in the book, "No I'm not a big video games fan."

"You'd rather read than play video games?" Malcolm asked with a confused look on his face, "that's kind of weird."

"Lizzie hates video games and is a great reader." declared Caroline.

"I'm not a great reader," I argued, "and I don't dislike video games, I just prefer reading that's all."

"Well you can come over anytime you like and borrow a book," offered Charles, "although if Will lived nearby you would want to go to his place. His parents have a library their collection is so big! And you're always adding to it Will, every time we go out you always buy a book of some kind." I gave up reading the book and walked over towards the T.V and sat down on the floor next to the chair Jane was sitting in.

"Do you have any siblings Will?" I asked resting my chin on my hand and turning to look at him.

"Yes, I have a sister; Georgiana." he said quietly.

"How is she?" cried Caroline, "I haven't seen her in forever! She must be as tall as I am now!"

"She is about the same height as Lizzie." answered Will turning his attention to the T.V screen.

"Georgie is such a good piano player!" announced Caroline, "doesn't one of your sisters play piano?"

"Yes, that would be Mary, but we all are able to play a little." I answered.

"It's so rare to find anyone so musically gifted these days!" sighed Caroline, "Your mother told me that you all paint, draw, play piano, play guitar, sing, dance and speak French. Such talent and perfection, don't you agree Will?"

"Yes those talents are good," he allowed, "but a brilliant mind and a love for reading would be perfection, more accomplished."

"So you only know six accomplished girls Will?" I laughed, "If I ever met someone so perfect I would be greatly intimidated!"

"I know many girls with those qualities," offered Louisa from the couch joining our conversation, "they are not so rare."

Soon after Jane denied Charles another game and insisted she was tired. The four of us girls said goodnight to the boys and followed Louisa upstairs to her room where we got ready for bed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

My mother and Mrs. Bingley were planning the next charity party that was to take place at the end of the summer, so I wasn't surprised to find my mother sitting at the Bingley's kitchen table the next morning. I was surprised however to find Lydia and Kitty sitting beside her eating breakfast croissants and drinking orange juice. Louisa and Caroline were behind me on the stairs and I could hear Caroline whispering to Louisa.

"Why doesn't the whole Bennet family just move in as well? Almost all of them are here." this caused Louisa to giggle.

I made my way into their massive kitchen and sat down beside Kitty. Caroline and Louisa began fiddling with the coffee maker; I could already tell they were not morning people.

"Good morning mom, Caroline, Louisa, Lizzie, Mrs. Bennet, Lydia and Kitty," greeted Charles cheerfully running down the stairs and into the kitchen. He was definitely a morning person which was unsurprising. He hopped on the chair opposite to mine and shoved a croissant into his mouth without delay. I began to laugh but it died in my throat when I saw Will stumble into the kitchen having a difficult time getting a shirt over his head. I couldn't help but stare at his perfect pale toned chest. I quickly shut my mouth after I realized it was hanging open, I could feel a blush creeping up my neck and into my cheeks. Of course Lydia and Kitty had taken notice but were much less discreet about it than I was as they continued to stare at him with ridiculous grins on their faces. Once Will got his shirt on- much to the dismay of us Bennet girls- I noticed the sleepy expression on his usually cold face and the way his dark hair was standing up all over the place. So far, this was the best I had seen of Will.

"Good morning Will!" said Charles enthusiastically laughing at his sleepy friend, "You look fresh and happy this morning!"

"Yes, good morning." mumbled Will incoherently wiping his eyes and scratching at the shirt he was wearing. I couldn't stop the quiet laugh that escaped me when I saw what was on his shirt. His eyes immediately zeroed in on mine and narrowed.

"Something funny Lizzie?" he asked with a bit less sleepiness in his voice as he walked to the cabinet to get himself a mug.

"No, nothing it's just," I tried to keep a straight face and failed, "I couldn't help but noticing that you were a Cookie Monster fan as well." I pointed to my own pyjama shirt that had a similar Cookie Monster design on it as his did. He looked down at his shirt and frowned.

"I'm not so much a fan anymore, it's rather childish, and I couldn't find another clean shirt because I'm not finished unpacking-"

"Lizzie was only joking around William." interrupted my mother lightly with a hint of motherly sternness in her voice that embarrassed me. She still thought he was a proud young man who was rude to her daughter; this sort of thing always caused her to go into mother hen mode.

"It's ok mom," I said trying to make things less awkward, "Will doesn't seem like a morning person, I'm sure he will find it more amusing once he has some caffeine in his system."

"You think I'm not a morning person?" Will asked casually, "And what makes you think you know me so well?"

"I like to attempt to figure people out," I explained then smiled looking at Charles, "Charles here for instance, is easily a morning person. He's not complicated at all to figure out. Complicated people are hard to come by."

"Yes," agreed Will, "and they must be very hard to come by in such a small town like this one. You would have better luck in London."

"I don't see what's wrong with a small town like ours?"my mother said stiffly.

"I think Will just means that London has a bigger population and therefore more complicated people than a smaller population." I said bringing peace to the conversation with a nervous glance at Will who was sipping his coffee leaning against the counter staring at me with a curious look on his handsome face. I gave a stern look to my mother.

"Did Charlotte call while I was gone?" I asked my mother changing the subject and looking away from Will's dark chocolate coloured eyes.

"Yes she did, she also said to call her when you get home." my mother answered.

"I am so excited for the charity party!" Lydia suddenly burst out randomly, "What sort of theme is it going to be?"

"Well Lydia, you can home help me choose," said Mrs. Bingley as she opened a large binder and riffled through the pages, "Kitty you can help me as well." My sisters both shrieked with excitement and ran around the table to look over Mrs. Bingley's shoulder. A few moments later Jane slowly made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her golden hair was tangled and she looked very pretty in her sky blue pyjamas. I snuck a peak over at Charles who was gazing at her as if she was an angel that had landed in his kitchen. I looked up to find Darcy looking at his friend with a frown on his face. He must have felt me looking at him because he quickly locked his eyes onto mine for a few seconds before draining his coffee cup, putting it in the sink and walking back up the stairs.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

A few days later Jane and I found ourselves back at the Bingley's house. Caroline and Louisa had taken a liking to us and we had been spending a lot of time with the family. We sat on the Bingley's large back deck that had a beautiful awning to shade us from the bright sun. Jane was sitting with Charles, Louisa and Malcolm on wicker chairs around a table playing cards while I sat a few feet away reading in a large comfy chair. Will was typing a letter to his sister on a laptop while Caroline sat close beside him often distracting him. I sensed that Caroline had a bit of a crush on Will, and he didn't return the feeling by the way he ignored her.

"Oh, and tell her that I can't wait to see her next month!" Caroline said making Will sigh in annoyance, "And tell her that I can't wait to attend her piano recital!"

"I have already," said Will impatiently, "you have asked me several times now."

"I'm sorry." apologized Caroline, not sounding sorry at all, "Georgiana is very lucky to receive such a long well written e-mail from you. Charles sent me half a paragraph when I was away in New York for three weeks! It was very poorly written too! You type very quickly Will."

"I type quite slowly actually." argued Will in a mumble, trying to concentrate, "And a long e-mail doesn't always mean it's well written."

"Well Charles always writes short poorly written ones." stated Caroline.

"They're not that bad!" scoffed Charles looking up from the card game, "It's just that I type so quickly that my ideas come out in the wrong order and I end up missing words, but at least I write with ease. Will carefully checks his spelling and grammar, he and I have very different writing styles."

"I believe that a person's writing style reflects their personality." I offered my opinion.

"If this is true, then Charles is quick and careless," began Will as he continued to type, "he is proud of the fact that he is fast and is not precise. He also speaks without thinking through his words and is quick to act and is easily influenced by others."

"And you Will," I said putting down my book, "are efficient, but exceedingly precise. You are sure about yourself and think everything through. You hardly obey orders, you usually give them and you do not let other people influence you. I think Charles is a positive influence on such a person as yourself. He makes sure you have fun."

"Thank you for sticking up for me," laughed Charles, "and I do see your point. Sometimes Will can be a bit of a downer when I want to have fun, what with all his planning and sensibility! But I know you don't like an argument so I won't continue." I wanted to laugh at Charles comment but could sense that Will was slightly hurt by Charles teasing and thought better of it.

"You should finish your e-mail." I suggested to Will, he had stopped typing after Charles comment. He nodded at me and continued his typing. Once he was finished he closed his laptop and asked Louisa to put on some music. She got up and walked to the expensive stereo, sifted through some CD's and put one in. She must have noticed I was looking at the large rack of CD's below the stereo because she suggested that I look at them and choose something to listen to. I rose from my comfy seat and made my way over to the collection of music and knelt down to take a closer look. I could sense Will looking at me and I couldn't figure out why. He obviously couldn't like me, with the way he spoke so coldly to me, and yet he couldn't be staring because he disliked me. I guessed that he found something wrong with me, more than everyone else here. I knew this shouldn't have bothered me, but for some odd reason, it did.

"Have you found anything you like," questioned Will teasingly kneeling down next to me watching as I pulled out CD's, looked them over and put them back, "or is their music not good enough for your taste?" I smirked as I picked out a CD, looked it over, put it back and picked out another.

"Found something good?" he asked nodding to the CD in my hands.

"I know you would like me to say yes," I said laughing and looking up at him, "so that you can contradict my opinion and rule the CD as a poor one, but I'm afraid I don't like this one and now despise me if you dare!"

"I don't despise you." Will said earnestly staring into my surprised eyes. I was caught off guard, I had expected him to retaliate and was not prepared for his agreement. Before I could say anything in return Caroline suggested that Jane and I show them the paths down by the river on their extensive property. I could tell she did not like that Will had been talking with me by the jealous glare which surprised me, we had been getting along so well this week. She linked arms with Will and followed Jane who was leading the way with Charles by her side. I followed after Louisa and Malcolm holding hands and noticed that I was the odd one out.

We had been walking for a few minutes before I saw Will up ahead stop and bend over to tie his shoe causing Caroline to stop as well while Louisa and Malcolm went around them and continued to follow Jane and Charles. I could hear the ending of their conversation.

"...what painter could paint such beautiful eyes?" asked Caroline laughing sarcastically waiting for Will to finish.

"It wouldn't be easy to catch the expression," said Will agreeing ignoring her sarcasm, "but the beautiful colour and shape could be copied." As he finished tying his shoes, he looked up and saw me approaching and froze.

"What is it Will?" asked Caroline as Will finally stood up and she turned around to see me standing near them, "Oh, hi Lizzie." She grabbed Will's arm again and began to walk down the path. He turned and stopped walking to look at me causing Caroline to stop and look confused.

"Are you coming?" asked Will lifting his other unoccupied arm gesturing that I take it.

"No thank you," I said hiding my surprise with a laugh walking in front of them and continuing down the path, "the path isn't wide enough and you two look so charming walking together." I was touched by the sweetness of his offer, maybe Will Darcy wasn't such a pig-headed idiot after all.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Jane and I were spending quite a bit of time at the Bingley house and I found that Louisa and Caroline became good friends to Jane and I, despite the absurd jealous glares I received from Caroline whenever Will talked to me. My mother and Mrs. Bingley had many of the other charity planning members over at our house this evening so Jane and I had escaped to the Bingley house as we had done many nights that week. Louisa, Caroline, Jane and I had a first to third season _Friends_ marathon and without the boys around the two sisters were very nice and likeable. Caroline treated me as if I was one of her best friends and I could tell that they both really liked Jane. Louisa was in the kitchen making more popcorn when Charles, Will and Malcolm walked in the door.

"How was the movie?" Caroline asked Will rolling over on the floor to look at him as he took off his shoes. Charles immediately made his way over to where Jane was sitting on the couch and began telling her about the movie and asking about her day. I was lying on the floor next to Caroline and winked at Jane and she smiled back at me.

"The movie was alright," Will answered Caroline's question, "but if you'll excuse me I have some work to do." He went to the dining room table and began opening and spreading out his books.

"Take a break Will," sighed Malcolm plopping himself on an empty couch, "You can do your essay when you go home. You're on summer vacation!"

"What are you writing an essay for?" I asked sitting up and crossing my legs on the floor.

"He is applying for some major league scholar university thing," answered Caroline in a bored voice before Will could say anything, "Will's a genius." Her statement caused Will to snort but he didn't look up from his page.

"So what are you guys watching?" yawned Malcolm stretching out on the couch.

"_Friends_, would you like to join us?" asked Louisa coming back from the kitchen with another bowl of popcorn in her hands. She set it down on the coffee table and snuggled into Malcolm's side on the couch.

"No, I have to go soon," declined Malcolm sleepily, "my mom's picking me up in like half an hour. I think I'm just going to take a nap, I haven't been sleeping well lately." He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep. Louisa clicked on the next episode and pressed play. Jane and Charles continued to talk while Caroline got up from the floor and joined Will at the dining room table. I turned my head to watch the show, but I couldn't concentrate on Ross and Rachel's dilemma because I was distracted by Caroline and Will in the adjacent room. Caroline kept asking him questions, making remarks and trying to start a conversation while Will replied with short clipped answers foiling her attempts at a conversation. Finally giving up, Caroline got up and joined me on the floor listening in on Charles and Jane's conversation. Since I wasn't really paying attention to the show I decided to give up and listen to their conversation as well. By the sounds of it, Jane and Charles were talking about the next charity event our mothers were planning.

"I would much rather have an intellectual discussion than dance at these events." said Caroline giving her opinion louder than necessary trying to attract Will's attention and win him over. She glanced over at him to see his reaction but he continued to write and her face fell.

"But that would be boring!" protested Charles turning back to Jane and ignoring Caroline. Giving up on them as well Caroline stood up and stretched before pacing around the room, ignoring the T.V while continuously glancing at Will who did not look up once as she walked by each time.

"Lizzie," she said calling me as she paced near me, "why don't you stretch and walk around with me, it feels good after sitting for such a long time." I was surprised and confused by her suggestion but I got up and joined her walking around the rooms. The muscles in my legs were stiff from sitting on the floor for such a long time and I found as we paced around the dining room and living room, I loosened up. Will kept looking up at us every time we walked by and after a minute he put his pen down.

"I feel like an elegant lady taking a turn around the room like this." I remarked in a posh voice as Caroline and I slowly walked past Will.

"Would you like to join us Will?" asked Caroline slyly as we walked slowly around the table arm in arm, "I'm sure you must be stiff as well; sitting at the movies for so long and then sitting at the table."

"No thanks," declined Will with a smirk on his face, "I can admire you both from here."

"Oh!" said Caroline with false shock in her voice, "What should we do to punish him for being so cheeky?"

"We could laugh at him," I suggested playing along, "but you know him better than I do, what do you propose?"

"You can't laugh at Will," said Caroline gravely as we walked around the back of the T.V, "teasing and laughter doesn't affect him." This caused Will to roll his eyes.

"Well that's unfortunate," I shook my head smiling, "because I really love to laugh."

"To be teased is a weakness," stated Will, "and I hope to be unaffected by it."

"So what do you think of Will?" asked Caroline, "What conclusion have you come to?"

"I think Will has no faults," I answered looking at him as we passed him again walking slowly, "and I think he is well aware of it."

"I have many faults," argued Will closing up his books, "for example, I have a terrible temper, I can hold a grudge and my first impressions of people do not ever change."

"Those are great faults!" I exclaimed but my smile faded as I continued, "But I can't laugh at them."

"Well everyone has a natural fault or two that can never be corrected." said Will looking up at me, his eyes boring into mine and sticking him arm out to block our way as we were about to pass him again.

"Your fault is to hate everyone!" I said glaring down at him annoyed.

"And yours is to misunderstand people." Will argued back standing up and looking down at me. Caroline suggested that we finish watching_ Friends_ and she walked with me back over to the couch. Will followed us and was about to sit next to me but shook his head as if to clear it, then slowly sank down onto the floor with his back to me. A few times it looked as if he was going to turn his head to look at me or say something, but he stopped himself and looked back at the T.V.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Jane and I didn't sleep over at the Bingley's that night, instead we went home to find our house very messy and my mother was cleaning up the living room when we walked in the front door.

"Oh, Jane Lizzie!" she exclaimed jerking her head up and bumping it on the coffee table which she was crouched under picking up pieces of paper, "OUCH! Hahahahahahaha"

"How was your party mom?" asked Jane entering the living room and helping her up from the floor while I laughed and leaned against the wall taking in the sight of the messy room, "It looks like you had fun."

"Oh yes!" my mother giggled leaning on Jane then sinking onto the couch, "Mrs. Bingley is sooo funnieee! An she told thisss one joke about a talking muffin-"

"Mom," I tried keeping a straight face and failed, "did you and the ladies open up Dad's liquor cabinet?"

"What? Really Lizzie I would never do that!" she said hiccupping then waving me over to her. I walked into the living room and sat down on the couch next to her trying hard not to burst out laughing, I had never seen my mother drunk before, "Okay, so we only had a few drinkssss and I'm a little drunk," she whispered loudly, "but no one else needs to know about thissss, right gurrrllsss?" she tapped the side of her nose. I burst out laughing while Jane shook her head smiling.

"Come on mom," Jane said grabbing one of her arms while I put my arm around her waist, "let's get you up to bed. Lizzie and I can take care of this mess." I narrowed my eyes at her and stuck my tongue out. Just as we got her to the foot of the stairs my father walked in the front door carrying several grocery bags. He took in the sight of my mother and shook his head trying to repress a smile.

"I leave you alone for two hours," he said laughing to my mother taking off his shoes, "and you drain my liquor cabinet and trash the living room!"

Kitty and Lydia came running down the stairs and pushed past us giggling and talking about their plans to go eat lunch at a cafe the next day in hopes of seeing the gorgeous lead singer. Mary came out of the kitchen humming a tune to herself and walked past us up the stairs.

"Jane, Lizzie," my father began heading into the kitchen with the bags, "please never leave me."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

"What are we having for dinner tonight my dear?" asked my father at breakfast the next morning. When my mother didn't reply right away he lowered his newspaper and raised his eyebrows at her questioningly.

"It's only breakfast," my mother complained rubbing her head and squeezing her eyes shut, "how can you be thinking of dinner already?" My mother was a little hung over after her wild middle aged party the night before, "And what does it matter, it's not like the Queen is coming over."

"We _do_ have a guest dining with us tonight-" my father began putting his newspaper down and was quickly interrupted by my mother.

"We have a guest? Is it Charles?" she asked immediately focused, forgetting her headache and looking at Jane, "Jane, did you invite him over? Oh, this is exciting! Why didn't you tell me earlier, there's so much to do-" she rose from the table but my father put his hand over hers and rolled his eyes.

"No my dear, it's not Charles but a different young man." sighed my father shaking his head and putting up his other hand for silence when my mother and sisters began questioning him feverently, "It's someone who the girls have never met before. My friend from college Mike Williams, his son Colin is coming to stay with us for two weeks. Do you remember Mike; he came over for dinner several years ago? Anyways, his son is about the same age as Jane." This announcement was met with a typical blank expression from Mary and a polite smile from Jane which I returned with an eye roll. Kitty and Lydia were uninterested; the possibility of the guest being the lead singer in a band was highly unlikely.

"Colin is also my godson and in my will, I have left a small sum to him. I have received an e-mail from him," my father said talking over Kitty and Lydia as they began discussing the lead singer again, forgetting about Colin, "he seems like a religious, polite boy who mentions his royal neighbour quite a few times. He also says that from the family pictures I sent Mike, my daughters are very attractive young ladies. His reason for the visit he says, is to get to know me better because he is thankful for my generosity in my will."

"Wrong," my mother said, "he's coming to get an idea of how much he's going to get once you kick the bucket! Why did you invite him over? He's such a strange young man, he told me last time we were over at their house that my mustard coloured vest brought out the yellow in my complexion!"

"He seems nice," said Jane defending Colin while I tried to hide a smile at my mother's complaint, "when is he coming?"

"Before dinner I'm told," my father answered picking up his paper again and taking a sip of his coffee.

"He seems kind of pompous to me," I said giving my opinion and a getting stern look from Jane, "well he mentions his royal neighbour a lot!" I said defending myself.

"His e-mail seems fine to me." said Mary as she read the e-mail on the laptop sitting next to father.

"I'll go and make up the guest room bed, but that doesn't mean I agree with this." my mother announced as she walked out of the room without another word which surprised us all. I had thought she would be excited and I exchanged confused looks with my father and Jane. Lydia and Kitty had all but forgotten the coming visitor and continued their discussion about their plans for their lunch outing. Mary was uncharacteristically interested in the visitor and sat down to read the e-mail again. My father just shook his head reading the paper as Jane and I cleaned up the rest of the breakfast dishes.

Colin Williams arrived at exactly four o'clock that evening, right on time like he promised. We all greeted him politely and invited him into our house. Mary silently brought his bags upstairs for him and blushed when he thanked her.

I followed my father into the living room and sat in my usual place on the couch and rested my feet on the coffee table earning myself a frown from my mother. My father sat in his usual chair by the fireplace, Jane sat next to me on the couch, Kitty and Lydia sprawled out on the opposite couch, when Mary returned she took her usual place in her solitary bean bag chair and Colin unknowingly sat in my mother's chair next o my father. I thought she was going to make a fuss, but instead she sighed and sat next to Jane on the couch.

My mother started up a conversation with Colin which Jane, Kitty and Lydia soon joined in. My father was being unusually quiet, nodding once in a while in agreement. While he was talking and unaware, I took the opportunity to look at Colin for the first time. He was about the same height as me, about 5'7 and a little on the chubby side. His light brown hair, I was disgusted to see, was fashioned in a sort of mullet style. His green eyes, which normally I would find intriguing, were dull and had a shallow, glazed over look under his drooping eyelids. His manners were very formal and unintentionally rude as he complimented my mother on her outdated decorating style, he insisted on addressing Kitty as Catherine and called my parents Mrs and Mr Bennet. He seemed like he thought of himself as an intelligent person and as my father began to talk more and question him, he seemed rather dumb. Altogether he seemed like a dull person who was unfortunately was staying in our house for the next two weeks.

"What sort of sports do you like playing Colin?" I asked him once he finished telling a second story about his royal neighbour. Yes, he was definitely pompous.

"Well, personally I don't like sports," he began in his nasally voice annunciating all his words which was getting really annoying, "I prefer reading my grandfather's bible that he gave me for my birthday last year, It's really quite interesting. I also have started learning Latin, so I can translate these ancient texts that my great uncle gave to my Dad-"

"It's time for dinner now!" my mother interrupted Colin with a forced smile on her face as he was about to ramble on for another endless hour. The rest of us followed my mother into the dining room where the table was set and the smell of her homemade bread washed over us. Once again, Colin sat in my mother's spot and looked around the room.

"You know," he said sitting down, deeply inhaling and formally unfolding his napkin on his lap, "the smell of this bread reminds me of a fast food joint I ate at on the way here! It was delicious!" I tried not to smile as I covered my mouth with my hand and had a pretend coughing fit.

"Of course I made this bread myself," my mother said taken aback by his comment, "I hope that is nothing at all like fast food!"

"I'm terribly sorry Mrs. Bennet-" Colin began to apologize as my mother rolled her eyes and tried convincing him she wasn't offended. For the next fifteen minutes he continued apologizing interrupting anyone who tried to stop him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"So," my father said laying down his knife and fork and looking up at Colin who had a whole bread roll stuffed in his mouth, "you told us before that your neighbour Lady Catherine invites you over for dinner almost once a week. What is it like living next to her, is she a kind neighbour?"

I turned my head and gave my father an incredulous look which he returned with a smug smile. Colin began describing how kind Lady Catherine was and the generous advice she suggested to his father. I couldn't understand why my father would want to hear him rambling on for the next three hours, but he sat with his chin resting on his hand with an amused smile on his face as he listened to Colin tell us about Lady Catherine's sickly daughter.

"Yes, she is a lovely girl," said Colin stuffing his eighth bun into his mouth, "but she isn't well, she has been sick for some time and is unable to leave the house for very long. I told Lady Catherine that her daughter Anne would be the best pianist if she was able to go to a music school- these are the kinds of compliments I like to give to Lady Catherine, and I think I'm quite good at it. " He smiled at Jane and some of the bread fell out of his mouth.

"You have the talent of flattery Colin," my father said ignoring Lydia's snickering, "but do you write down your ideas first, or are they spur of the moment compliments?" My father's question caused Lydia to burst out with a short hysterical giggle which caused Kitty to have a coughing spasm hiding her laughter. Jane and I just looked at each other across the table pursing our lips and trying hard not to betray our laughter.

"Mostly they are spur of the moment," said Colin, oblivious to our amusement, "but sometimes I amuse myself by writing some down." My father smiled politely and when Colin's attention was diverted to Mary who had begun questioning him, my father gave me a wink. He thought Colin was just as crazy and absurd as I did.

After dinner, Colin announced that he was going to read aloud from his grandpa's bible which caused Lydia and Kitty to groan and saunter into the living room. Jane and I insisted that we would do the dishes while Colin began his reading, but he also insisted that he would wait for us to finish before he began. I rolled my eyes at Jane and we quickly cleaned up the kitchen.

"I'm going to read to you a very interesting passage." Colin said taking a large fat book out of his bag while Lydia gaped at him. He had read several pages slowly with his solemn nasal voice when Lydia interrupted him.

"Mom you should have seen how hot the lead singer was at the café! His name is Denny and he's seventeen!" Lydia burst out followed by Kitty quickly agreeing with her. Though I didn't want to hear Colin read anymore either, Jane and I scolded Lydia for being rude.

"It's okay," said Colin with a hurt look on his face as he put his book back in his bag and pulled out his laptop instead, "I know that little girls don't like serious books. Mr. Bennet, would you like to see some recent pictures of my family?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

The first two days that Colin stayed with us, it was painfully obvious that he liked and admired Jane. The way he stared at her, followed her around and gave her embarrassing compliments frequently was unlike the way Charles showed his affection towards Jane. Of course _she_ didn't notice, but Colin's affection did not go unnoticed by my mother and on the third day she asked Colin to have a private talk with her, no doubt trying to preserve Jane's relationship with Charles.

If my mother had her way, the five of us girls would each have a date to the charity event at the end of the summer. The event was very formal and her dream was that each of us would have a date. It was her mission in life to make sure we each had a suitable boyfriend while we were teenagers, and later on in life a perfect husband. When she was my age, she had been going out with my father since the beginning of high school and married him once they graduated. She couldn't understand why Jane and I were single. Well, mostly Jane.

Jane and I were watching a movie when Lydia and Kitty burst into the living room wearing way too much lip gloss and extremely short skirts. My mother and Colin walked in behind them and sat down on the opposite couch, my mother had a smug smile on her face.

"I asked Colin if he would like to come back to stay with us at the end of the summer so he can go to the charity event with us. And he said he would love to." announced my mother. Jane and I looked at each other shocked before turning to Colin to give him polite smiles. He gave me a weird look and wiggled his eyebrows for some strange reason, I quickly looked away, trying not to laugh.

"Jane! Lizzie!" exclaimed Lydia ignoring my mother's awful announcement, "you _have_ to come for a walk with us into town! Denny's band is playing and I want you to hear them!"

"Yeah, please come with us?" Kitty begged, then smiled as Jane and I agreed.

"I'd like some fresh air, do you mind if I join you, Elizabeth?" for some reason he was looking at me again with a small smile on his pudgy face. Kitty and Lydia gave each other exasperated looks and looked at me frantically shaking their heads.

"Of course you can come, Colin." I said apprehensively, shooting apologetic looks at Kitty and Lydia after Colin smiled and turned around heading for the front door. As I walked past my mother to get my shoes she gave me a stern look and nodded her head towards Colin who was hopping around on one foot, off balance trying to put his shoe on. After a few hops he fell over causing Lydia and Kitty to smile hugely at each other but their grins were quickly wiped off their faces when my father came down the stairs with a frown on his face.

"Mr. Bennet," Colin began standing up and tucking his shirt in, "I know we had been discussing the British Parliament before I talked with Mrs. Bennet, but I'm going for a walk with the girls, is that okay?" My father's face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. He mumbled something about taking our time and then walked into the living room.

Kitty and Lydia had linked arms and quickly walked ahead of the rest of us leaving Mary, Jane Colin and me trailing after them. Jane and I usually walked together, Mary slightly ahead of us, but this time Colin asked me to walk with him while Jane and Mary followed after Kitty and Lydia.

Colin was not a fast walker and had trouble keeping up with me, though he continued talking while he breathed heavily as we walked up another small hill. Jane frequently looked back at me with an apologetic look on her pretty face.

Once we finally reached Main Street, Lydia and Kitty dragged us into a café and the six of us sat down at a table. The café was very modern looking and the menus had exotic foods and drinks. I ordered a Vanilla tea for myself and water for Colin whose face was as red as a tomato.

"DENNY!" shouted Lydia and then was scolded by Mary for being so loud. Lydia was waving towards two boys who were up on a small stage across the café. Denny, the lead singer was setting up a microphone at the front of the stage, he looked up at Lydia and smiled. He was quite cute; his dirty blonde hair was gelled and spiked up in a messy disarray. He had a yellow _Oasis _shirt on and dark blue jeans that looked worn in with the knee caps missing. He jumped down from the small stage and waved at his friend who was setting up an amp to follow him over to our table. Kitty and Lydia's faces stretched into ridiculous grins when they looked over Denny's friend.

"Who is that other boy with him?" whispered Kitty to Lydia before the two boys came over to our table.

"Hey it's our biggest fans!" said Denny laughing, his hazel eyes lighting up as he looked at Jane, "and who are these friends of yours?"

"Jane and Lizzie my sisters and Colin," said Lydia impatiently pointing at us before turning to smile at Denny's friend, "but who is _your_ friend?"

"Right! This is Jake Wickham," said Denny gesturing to Jake, who smirked at us and gave a small wave, "he just arrived here last night and he's going to play bass for us! It was lucky of him to come down from London on such short notice, and he's got talent!"

"Well I'm lucky to join the band." said Jake in a husky voice dismissing Denny's praise and smiling widely showing perfectly white teeth. His smile was contagious and I could feel the effects of his charm. He had platinum coloured hair with brown roots showing and very light ice-blue eyes. His skin was very tan and he had a sprinkle of freckles across his nose. The light blue colour of his _Beatles_ shirt really brought out his tan, his white teeth and his eyes. I could tell from the way his shirt stretched over his arms that he must play some sort of physically demanding sport. Usually I thought piercings looked silly, but the way he unconsciously played with the lip stud in his full bottom lip was, kind of sexy. Though Jake was _really_ attractive, I hated to admit that Will was better looking; their styles and personalities polar opposites. There was something charismatic about Jake's personality; he looked so friendly, easy to talk to and I couldn't help staring at him with a stupid grin spreading across my face. He must have noticed me staring; he turned towards me and stuck out his hand.

"It's very nice to meet you Lizzie." he said with a twinkle in his blue eyes while shaking my hand. I could feel the calluses on his fingers -from guitar playing no doubt- when he squeezed my fingers gently, my face hurt I was smiling so much. I blushed and mumbled something unintelligent in return; my brain not able to function properly. He just stood in front of me, smiling his ridiculously bright smile and took no notice of Denny calling his name.

"Jake?" said Denny snapping his fingers in front of his face to get his attention, "Hello? We're going to start soon, we better get up there. See you later girls!" He grabbed Jake by the arm and pulled him towards the stage. Jake winked at me before turning around and following his friend. I shook my head a couple of times to clear it and when I could focus again, Lydia was glaring at me while sipping her smoothie and Jane was smiling at me in a knowing way.

Denny's band played a few songs before they took a break returned to our table. Denny sat down between Kitty and Lydia who began bombarding him with compliments while Jake sat down in between Jane and I and the other three members of the band brought chairs over, then left to get drinks. Jane conveniently asked Colin about Lady Catherine which left Jake and I with no one to talk to but each other. Excellent.

"So what did you think?" asked Jake combing his fingers through his hair and smiling at me.

"I thought you were brilliant!" I gushed, "How long have you been playing bass?"

"Since I was ten, so that's eight years now." he said, his eyes wandering around the room, "I started playing mostly because I'm a huge Beatles fan. What kind of music are you into?" I was about reply when I saw Charles and Will enter the café. I guess shock showed on my face because Jake turned to see what I was staring at. His face, for some strange reason, turned sickly white under his golden tan when he saw who had come in.

"What a coincidence!" exclaimed Charles genuinely with a smile on his face when he stopped at our table and looked directly at Jane, "we were going to have some coffee, then visit you!" Will stood slightly behind Charles and when I met his gaze he looked quickly away and locked his large dark eyes on Jake. Strangely, his eyes narrowed and his face began to redden. I wasn't paying attention to the other conversation going on, I looked at Jake who looked up to meet Will's gaze rather sheepishly and nodded his head in acknowledgement. Will did not return the gesture but quickly told Charles that they should get going. Charles agreed in a confused tone-he had been staring at Jane the entire time and had not seen Will and Jake's reaction towards each other-and the two of them left the café. While holding open the door for other customers, Will gave me one last penetrating look then stalked out the door. I turned to ask Jake about his peculiar behaviour but he had quickly struck up a conversation with Colin.

"Hey Lizzie, Jane, haven't seen you in a while." I turned to see Katie Phillips standing next to me smiling at Jane and I, "I'm having a party tonight, and I was wondering of you guys wanted to come? Of course, you can bring friends." While she said this she smiled at Denny and Jake who returned the smile. Katies mocha coloured skin darkened after looking over Jake and she pushed a loose braid behind her ear, her smile stretching wider.

"Yes, this is Denny and Jake," I said pointing at each of them then sighed as I pointed to Colin, "and this, is Colin, he's my father's godson who's staying with us."

"It is very polite and kind of you to invite me to your party," said Colin, "you're almost as polite as my neighbour, Lady Catherine-"

"Yes, it's very considerate of you Katie." I said quickly ending any chance of Colin ranting for the next hour. I expected that he would have been hurt by my interruption, but instead he reached over and put his clammy hand on mine. I tried my best not to look repulsed.

"You are also very kind, Elizabeth." said Colin in a quiet voice with a silly smile on his face that I'm sure he thought was alluring. I gently pulled my hand out from under his and put it in my lap.

"Err...thank you Colin." I replied with as much dignity as possible. I looked up to see Jane and Katie giving me sympathetic looks while shaking their heads. Lydia and Kitty looked like they were about to burst from holding back their laughter and Denny and Jake merely looked amused and embarrassed for me.

Around half an hour after Charles and Will had left, a boy with raven black hair spiked into a mohawk tapped Denny and Jake on their shoulders and informed them it was time to play a few more songs. They promised Katie they would attend her party and said goodbye to us. Jake, recovered from his unusual shock at seeing Will, winked at me and followed Denny back up onto the stage.

After listening to a few more songs, we left the café and arrived home just in time for dinner. Colin wasted no time telling my parents how nice Katie was to invite him along to the party tonight. Lydia and Kitty talked about how hot Denny was and how unbelievably gorgeous the bass player Jake was until my father threatened to send them both to a convent where they would never see a young musician ever again.

Once dinner was finished, Jane and I cleaned up the dishes before going up to my room to decide what to wear to the party. We picked out my outfit, then went to look in her closet.

"Did you see the way Jake reacted when he saw Will today?" I asked her pulling out a pair of black jeans and laying them on her bed as a possibility, "And Will looked like he wanted to murder Jake! Didn't you notice?"

"I'm afraid I didn't," said Jane holding a white lacy top to her chest and looking in the mirror, "but I'm sure Will didn't look _that_ angry."

"He did! And Jake was as white as a ghost!" I said ignoring her defence for Will and pulling out a cute blue shirt, "Jake's so nice, what could Will have possibly done to him to make him look so pale? I'm telling you, Will isn't a nice guy!"

"Lizzie," Jane said exasperated, "don't make your own conclusions just yet since you don't know the whole story." I just rolled my eyes and tossed her the blue shirt in my hands.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Well Katie, the outside of your house reminds me of the outside of my neighbour, Lady Catherine's shed!" Colin exclaimed with a delighted smile on his face after Katie opened the door to let us in. When Katie grimaced, Jane explained Colin's true intent of complimenting her and he quickly began apologizing to Katie who stepped out of the way to invite us in. As I passed her I gave her an apologetic look and shrugged my shoulders.

Loud music was booming from several loud surround sound speakers and some couches had been moved out of the way to make room for dancing. After he had finished expressing his deep regrets for offending Katie, Colin came to stand at my side and slip his sweaty hand into mine. Revolted, I quickly pulled it out and tried to smile politely at him. Thankfully the music was too loud that I couldn't hear what he was trying to say and with a quick wave I hurried away to find Charlotte. As I was backing away from Colin, I bumped into someone and almost fell over. I felt someone grab me around the waist before I could topple over, and spin me around. I looked up into a pair of ice-blue eyes and a dazzling white smile. I looked down at the place where our chests touched and where his hands gripped the bare skin on my waist.

"Thanks."I said flustered, and looked up at Jake smiling shyly. He let go of me and I pulled down my shirt, with as much dignity as I could, which had slid up when he caught me.

"Anytime," he said laughing with a cheeky smile on his face, "It's great to see you again Lizzie. I was wondering if you-" Before he could finish, Lydia towing Denny and Kitty who was towing another one of their band members, grabbed Jake's hand and dragged him over to the dance area. He smiled and shrugged at me as he was being pulled away and I smiled in return. I knew Lydia was very determined and decided not to get in her way. I spotted Colin across the room and was horrified to see him talking to Charlotte. I quickly weaved through the crowd of people and interrupted their conversation.

"Hello Charlotte!" I said overly perky, looking nervously at Colin, hoping he hadn't been torturing her with stories of Lady Catherine, "I need you to come with me." I began pulling her away and saw that Colin was prepared to follow us. "Colin, I need to ask Charlotte something," when he didn't get the hint I tried a different tactic, "Charlotte, do you happen to have any tampons-"

"Well..I...I..I'm going to get something to drink!" Colin exclaimed before I could finish. Beet red in the face, he turned and hurried away from us, bumping into several people along the way.

"Lizzie!" Charlotte said laughing with me, "What are you trying to do to poor Colin?"

"Poor Colin?" I asked incredulously, "I was trying to save _you_ from him! Did he try to torture you with stories about his _magnificent _Lady Catherine?"

"No, he was just asking me about you, actually." said Charlotte with a confused look on her face as she read the horrified one on mine, "Lizzie, Colin is a nice guy, and it's obvious he likes you. Why can't you be nice to him?"

"But.." I sputtered, "..he's so rude..and stupid..and pompous!"

"My first impression of him isn't that way," said Charlotte shaking her head and frowning, "you should just give him a chance."

"He's had plenty of chances to make up for his rudeness! I could never like him!" I cried, "We are so different! He just insults everyone and he's so self-centered! And I'm sure he would hate me once he really discovered my true nature!"

"Well," she sighed and shrugged her shoulders, "I just met him, so maybe you're right. But he wouldn't hate you, no one who gets to know you could ever hate you!" She looked across the room to where Colin was standing with a bottle of water in his hand and waved at him with a smile on her face. Delighted that we had apparently ended our discussion on feminine products, he began to quickly make his way back through the crowd towards her. I smiled at Charlotte and hurried away before Colin could try to talk to me again.

"I'll see you later Denny!" I yelled, out of breath after I had danced with him for a few songs. He smiled, waved and turned around to find Lydia eagerly waiting to dance with him. I laughed and walked to the large double doors that opened up to a balcony. I stepped outside and inhaled deeply, breathing in the cool summer air. I rested my arms on the balcony and looked out over the beautiful dark forest behind Katie's house. I heard the doors open behind me and turned to see Jake stumble backwards out the doors laughing at something someone had said. I realized I had been thinking about him a lot since we met. He smiled and rested his elbows next to mine on the railing.

"So Lizzie," he asked, the moonlight making his teeth shine like pearls, "how are you enjoying the party?"

"I'm having a bloody brilliant time!" I laughed, "And how do you like Meryton Jake?"

"Meryton, is filled with the most attractive girls I have ever seen." as he said this he reached over and slowly laced his tanned fingers through mine causing goose bumps to break out on my arm. A mysterious flirty smile stretched across his face as his ice-blue eyes locked on my lips and I could feel my face heating up.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I said, flustered by the way he was looking at me, but I was determined to discover the truth "but I couldn't help but notice that you and Will Darcy seem to know each other." My question caused him to pale again and his blue eyes focused on the moon, but he didn't let go of my fingers.

"I have known Will since I was two," this shocked me and he smirked again, "we grew up together in London. Yes it's a little surprising, considering our reactions at seeing each other yesterday. How long have you known him?"

"I met him and the Bingley family two weeks ago when they moved into a house down the street from us," I said, then laughed, "and it's really been too long."

"I know him too well to agree with you," said Jake gazing up at the sky, "but your opinion of Will would surprise most people. Do you know if he will be staying for the whole summer with the Bingleys?"

"All of our neighbours and most of the people in Meryton," I said surprised, "would agree with me. And I'm not sure if he's staying the whole summer. I hope that you won't leave because of him?"

"No, I won't leave or avoid him," he assured winking at me before returning his gaze to the night sky again, "just because he's here, doesn't mean I have to go. As you saw in the café, we obviously are not on friendly terms, which is sad because of our childhood together. In the past year, he has treated me awfully. But his father, Mr. Darcy my godfather, was a very nice man, very unlike his son. He died two years ago from a heart attack and I miss him like he was my own father. My own parents had died when I was twelve and I had lived with the Darcy's ever since. I was named after my father George Jacob Wickham, but Mr Darcy was always more of a father to me, he paid for me to go to the same elite private high school in London that Will attended. I went there because of my superior grades and I loved the learning environment. But at the beginning of grade twelve, Will convinced his mother that I had been cutting classes and failing my courses. She believed him and I was eventually expelled for possession of drugs, which Will had planted in my bag. He framed me; Will had always been jealous that his father loved me more than he loved his own son. I knew that the Darcy's was no longer a home to me without Mr. Darcy, so I moved in with a couple of my friends who had dropped out to play music. I never was able to finish my last year of high school; instead I became a musician, all thanks to Will Darcy. But being a musician isn't so bad, I've always loved to play guitar."

"Oh my god!" I was beyond bewildered, "Doesn't anyone know about this? You should really tell people!"

"I can't" Jake said sadly looking down at our hands, he played unconsciously with his lip stud, "Will reminds me too much of his father and until I can forget Mr. Darcy, I can't expose Will."

"I didn't think he was this bad!" I said still shocked, I put my free hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Poor Jake! He looked so sad! How awful!

"He really isn't so terrible," as he said this he turned towards me and smiled a little as my eyebrows rose even higher, "he's generous, he loves his sister and he's so good to her."

"What's she like," I asked, Jake's kindness towards such a bad person like Will was astonishing and it made me like him even more, "Georgiana?"

"She's isn't like her father," said Jake sadly shaking his head, "she's too much like Will. When she was younger she was likeable, and I spent so much time with her. She has grown up to be a very pretty girl, but she's not so likeable anymore."

"What I still don't understand is how someone so nice and sweet as Charles Bingley can be friends with someone as...as..." I sputtered for the right adjective and Jake laughed, ".as...evil as Will? Do you know the Bingley's?"

"No, but I have heard a little about them from your sister." When I frowned in confusion as to which of my sisters, he continued, "Lydia."

"Charles is such a nice guy! How can he not see Will's true colours?" I asked looking up into Jake's eyes. His fingers moved from mine and each of his hands lightly held my wrists causing us to face each other and move closer together. I could feel my breath quickening and the heat creeping back into my face.

"No one knows the truth except for Will, you and I." as he said this he slowly began turning us so that my back was turned to the house and his was turned to the forest, "Did you know that Will's godmother is Lady Catherine? I heard that Colin guy mentioning her when we were at the café this afternoon. I always thought that she was the bad influence on Will."

"Really?" I asked breathlessly as he slowly walked forward causing me to take a few steps back.

"Yeah. Her daughter, Anne, used to have a crush on Will when we were younger, I think she still does." I giggled breathlessly then felt my back rest against the wall of the house next to the doors. Jake took another step closer so that his chest pressed against mine. I watched his hands slide up my arms then back down causing more goose bumps to raise. His hands then wrapped around my waist and I looked up into his eyes, but his were focused on my lips. He closed his eyes and abruptly brought his lips down to mine. I kissed him back enthusiastically and wrapped my arms around his neck. His lip stud was sort of annoying and it got in the way the more we kissed. His hands moved up and down my waist before moving under the bottom of my shirt. I pulled my mouth away from his, breathing heavily and his mouth moved to my neck. His hands slid up my waist just under the front of my bra and he brought his mouth back to mine. My hands moved from his neck to wind around his lower back to bring him closer. I could feel his fingers creeping under my bra and before he could do anything else I brought my hands to his chest and pushed him away. As much as I liked Jake, I knew I didn't want to go any further with him, and I knew I would have regretted it later if I did.

Jake staggered back a few steps before regaining his balance. Breathing heavily he stood and stared at me with a cheeky smirk on his face as I pulled my shirt back down.

"Nice talking to you Lizzie." he grinned then winked and walked back through the doors into the party.

I stayed outside for a few minutes trying to catch my breath and compose myself. I smoothed out my hair then stepped back inside trying not to smile or show how deliriously happy I was.

After the party, I drove the five of us home and there was not one minute of silence. Colin wouldn't shut up about how kind Katie was or how pleasant Charlotte was. Lydia talked over Colin and described every moment she spent with Denny or Jake. Kitty's could not decide which of the guys from Denny's band would be the best date to the end of summer charity event.

"At one point, I completely lost Jake, I had no idea where he went!" cried Lydia confused shaking her head, "But he turned up twenty minutes later and I noticed that he had some lip gloss smeared on his chin. I wonder who he made out with?" I couldn't help the blush that spread over my cheeks and was afraid someone would notice but Kitty saved me by squealing about Denny ending the discussion on Jake. When I looked in the rear view mirror, Jane was smiling at my guilty look.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

The morning after the party at Katie's house, I quietly repeated Jake's story to Jane while we were cleaning up the breakfast dishes. I was having a hard time convincing her that Will Darcy was in fact, the legitimate spawn of Satan and to prove my point I continuously pounded my fist on the counter. Every time I assaulted the counter, Colin let out a very embarrassingly girlish shriek of surprise from the living room.

"Lizzie!" said Colin after several squeals of surprise, as he peered around the kitchen doorway, "I know you are a passionate person and I admire you greatly for it, but I am in the middle of translating a certain difficult text and such outbursts, even from you lovely Lizzie-"

"I'm-terribly-sorry-Colin-it-won't-happen-again-please-return-to-your-translating-thingy!" I interjected him quickly before he could begin another one of his awkward flattery rambles and gave him a bright smile. Satisfied, he made a silly face at me that was meant to look alluring I suppose, then moseyed back into the living room. I made a gagging face once he left the kitchen which earned me a stern look from Jane, though I could see her trying to hide a smile.

"I'm telling you Jane," I whispered putting a stack of plates back in the cupboard and returning to the subject of Jake Wickham, "Jake looked totally sincere and he gave me all the details. He was completely and honestly telling me the truth!"

"I'm not disagreeing with you Lizzie," Jane said in an equally quiet voice, it was difficult to have any private sort of conversation in our house, "I just can't imagine Will being that cold hearted, I can't imagine anyone being that cold hearted! You've only known Jake for a day Lizzie, and I know he seems really nice but- Oh I don't know what to think!"

"Excuse me Jane," I said crossing my arms and leaning on the counter, "but you know exactly what to think."

"Personally, I'm going to talk to Jake next time we meet, get to know him better and I'll form my own opinion of him," said Jane hanging up the dish towel and holding up her hands as I began to interrupt her, "but of course, from what you've told me, he sounds very nice. Maybe the fact that he was so umm...friendly with you the last time you met has influenced your opinion of him." As she said this, a teasing smile spread across her face and she lightly pinched my cheek.

"WHAT!?!" my face heated up instantly and my loud outburst caused another shriek from Colin in the other room, "Just because he had his hands up my shirt doesn't mean that-" At that moment, Lydia and Kitty had walked into the kitchen and their eyebrows rose.

"No, no, please continue Lizzie," said Lydia a sly grin spreading across her face as they crept closer to me until their faces were a few inches from mine-though they were quite a bit shorter, "tell me, who had his hands up your shirt?" I backed away from my giggling younger sisters, my face flaming it was so red. Fortunately for me I was saved by the door bell ringing just then. Turning from their present victim, Kitty and Lydia ran for the front door. I sighed with relief and followed Jane to the front door to see who was there.

"Oh Jaaa-ne!" said Lydia in a sing-song voice followed by a ridiculously evil laugh, "_Someone's_ here to see you!" As I came around the corner I could see Charles, Louisa and Caroline standing in the doorway. I sighed with relief that Will wasn't with them. A bright joyous smile and blush spread across Jane's face which mirrored Charles look of utter happiness as they stared into each others' eyes. Lydia and Kitty skipped past us and up the stairs. Louisa and Caroline warmly greeted Jane and each took one of her arms to steer her out to the backyard without a greeting or a nod to me. Charles and I exchanged pleasantries as we followed them into the backyard.

The three Bingleys announced that they were planning to have a party at their house at the end of the week and we were invited. Louisa and Caroline ignored me mostly during the visit and fussed over Jane explaining their ideas for the party and who else was invited. Their visit was extremely short and it ended when my mother walked into the backyard, intending no doubt to watch Charles's behaviour towards Jane. At the sight of my mother, Louisa and Caroline jumped up immediately and made excuses to leave which I found excessively rude. I tried not to let my displeasure show as Jane and I said goodbye and showed the Bingleys to the door. After they left Jane followed me to the living room where everyone was sitting discussing the Bingleys' upcoming party. Everyone except my father who, at the very mention of boys with 'fit-looking bums', high-tailed it out of the living room with his newspaper in hand.

"Oh Jane!" my mother exclaimed as we entered the room and sat down on our usual couch, "Charles looked so happy to see you! You girls are going to have so much fun! And I thought I heard him mention that he invited that band that Kitty and Lydia are obsessed with-" This announcement caused Lydia and Kitty to squeal at such a high frequency that I'm sure only the neighbourhood dogs could hear. I couldn't help smiling at the thought of dancing with Jake again and maybe repeating what happened last time...

"Lizzie?" Colin asked as he tried to squeeze himself in between Jane and I on the couch, "I was wondering if I could dance with you for the first three songs?" I sighed and tried not to let the annoyance and terror show on my face. I shifted my eyes over to my mother who gave me a very meaningful look and nodded her head in encouragement.

"Yes alright Colin" I sighed, frowning. I had already begun daydreaming of spending every dance wrapped in Jake's arms while his calloused guitar-playing fingers stroked my face and-

"I also want to dance at least once with the rest of you!" Colin exclaimed looking around at my sisters. Kitty and Lydia gave each other horrified looks but Jane was polite enough to smile and nod. Though Mary hated dancing, she agreed that she would make the exception to attend this dance and promised a dance with Colin, which seemed suspiciously out of character for Mary.

Colin began stroking his clammy hotdog-like finger along my hand and he gave me another one of his 'alluring' looks under his sleepy looking eyelids. This display caused Lydia and Kitty to shake with laughter and I hastily made an excuse to get up and leave. My mother also got up and followed me into the kitchen where she cornered me in front of the fridge. I could tell she wasn't happy with me by the set of her mouth and her narrowed eyes.

"Miss Lizzie," my mother began in a hushed tone and put her hands on her hips, "it would make me very happy if you would accept Colin's affections and be his date for the charity party at the end of the summer."

"Mom," I began, trying to inch around her and escape, "I think that Mary would rather be Colin's date, I mean they really would look cute together, besides I'm a few inches taller than he is and-"

"Elizabeth Anne Bennet," my mother said sternly using my full name to prove how serious she was, "you have no idea how embarrassing it would be for me if one of my daughters shows up without a date! I would never hear the end of it from the other charity committee members! And I know all about Mary's boyfriend, though he isn't as well groomed as Charles, but he'll have to do. You're going to be my only daughter without a date! Mrs. King always brags about her daughters and how they have dates and-"

"I get it mom." I said annoyed and rolled my eyes and I walked past her and up to my room.

The days between the announcement of the party at the Bingleys' and the party itself were the longest three days of my life. It rained continually and there was no way to escape Colin, he grew more insufferable by the minute. Jane and I picked out outfits and helped find Mary something nice to wear. I was practically counting down the minutes until I was to see Jake again.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

"LIZZIE?" Lydia yelled from downstairs, "Hurry up, Denny's going to be dancing with other girls by the time we get there and it will be all your fault!"

For once in my life I was the last one getting ready, usually it was Lydia or Kitty but I wanted to look my best when I saw Jake again tonight. Jane had advised me to wear the new black silk top I had just bought, a pair of black jeans and a pair of black flats, though I had decided on my favourite comfy black converse. I had blow-dried my hair straight as possible, however the tips wouldn't lie flat and kept sticking up at stupid angles. Jane had saved me from myself earlier by relieving me of the liquid eyeliner and doing it for me. With a final look in the mirror I skipped out of my room and down the stairs where my younger sisters were waiting for me with sour and impatient looks on their faces. Colin looked up from his conversation with Mary and gave me that weird 'alluring' look of his.

"What took so bloody long?" cried Lydia, "We would have left without you but Jane and Dad made us wait!" I gave my father and Jane grateful looks and we all hurried out the door with Lydia leading the way.

"Please come in!" welcomed Mr. Bingley as Mrs. Bingley opened the door and let us in where I could see many people had already arrived, "Oh, girls, most of the kids are in the back yard." We thanked Mrs. Bingley and entered the huge house.

"This is a lovely party!" exclaimed my mother clasping her hands and looking around at all of our neighbours scattered around the house, "This is a perfect way for the rest of the neighbourhood to get to know you all!"

My sisters and I went out to the back yard where there was an equally large amount of people our age. Scattered lit torches surrounded a huge awning was that stretched over the large back patio and there was reasonably loud music playing which a few people were dancing to. Some people were sitting in deck chairs grouped together and sipping drinks. Denny and Kitty's friend soon came over to us and began talking enthusiastically to my two youngest sisters. I immediately started scanning the crown in hopes to see Jake, but I could not find him. I had never doubted that he wouldn't be here and my only guess could be that Will had made sure he wasn't invited.

"He wasn't able to make it," said Denny watching me search and understanding who I was looking for, "he said that he had to go pay some of his relatives a visit while he was in this area."

"Oh," I said disappointed frowning down at my shoes, "well I...that's good of him...I hope he has a nice time..."

"Really..." said Denny lowering his voice and making sure no one else could overhear him, "I think he just wanted to avoid a certain someone." As he said this he glanced over my shoulder and I followed his gaze to find myself looking at Will talking to Caroline. Will sensing our gazes, looked up and stared back at us for a second before turning back to talk to Caroline. I was furious, Will was such a jerk! Getting him expelled from school, not giving him a place to live, ruining his future and restricting his social life, how could he ruin Jake's life like this? All the anger I had felt when Jake had first told me the story came rushing back and I could feel my eyes narrow at Will. I stalked off to find Charlotte and try to calm down.

"I'm so sorry!" Colin apologized for the billionth time after stepping on my foot once again, "It's just that we're standing a little further apart than I would like and your feet are sort of getting in my way because they are sort of on the big side...." This was the second time I had danced with Colin that evening and I couldn't have been more embarrassed. As soon as the song was over I hurried off to talk with Charlotte before Colin could follow me.

I danced with Denny once and we talked about Jake, I found myself talking about him a lot this evening. He told me some funny stories about living with him and he talked about how Jake was well liked wherever they preformed. After the song was over I returned to Charlotte once again to get a drink and discuss my situation with Jake. I had just taken a sip of water when I heard my name. I turned around and nearly spat out my water with surprise at seeing Will looking down at me with a cool look on his face. I managed to gulp down my water and replace the frown on my face with an uninterested expression.

"Will." I said stiffly nodding at him.

"Lizzie I wanted to ask you if you would like to dance with me." He said quickly and smoothly, his dark eyes were boring into my own waiting for my reply.

"Uh," I said stunned, "alright I guess." He gave a stiff nod and took my hand, to lead my over to where people were dancing. His large pale hand made mine tingle and I gave Charlotte a dumbfounded look as he towed me away. At first she shrugged but then she nodded and gave me a stern look in return.

A slow song came on so Will placed my hands lightly on his shoulders then put his hands carefully around my waist. I could see the surprised looks on a few people's faces but chose to ignore them. We were standing closer than I would have liked, I could smell whatever soap he had used, minty toothpaste and a hint of some really good smelly cologne. Damn it, why did he have to smell so good? And why couldn't Jake have been here? It would have been so much more fun dancing with him.

I looked up to see if he was glaring at me, but he was looking down at me with a curious look on his face that I didn't understand. Why would he ask me to dance if he didn't like me? He just silently looked down at me content not to make any sort of conversation. I was going to just keep quiet until the song was over, but then I thought that this was the perfect time to get him to admit to ruining Jake's life.

I remarked on how nice the party was and he gave a short reply but did not break his gaze. I tried again to make conversation to lead up to discussing Jake but again he gave me a very short answer and fell silent.

"What would you like to talk about Will?" I asked dryly giving up trying to be polite.

"Whatever you want to talk about," he said smirking then tilting his head and squinting at me, "do you always talk while your dancing?"

"Well, sometimes." I allowed, "You have to talk a little bit, it's sort of awkward if you're quiet the entire time, but all the same, it's better for some people to say nothing at all."

"And is this how you feel now?" he said laughing a little, "Or are you just trying to appease me?"

"Both," I replied a little shocked that he had laughed, I had the impression that he had never laughed in his life, "because I see that we think similarly. We both feel a little intellectually superior to our friends and we only will speak when we want to impress others with what we have to say."

"I don't believe that you are really like that," said Will shaking his head then continuing in a dry voice, "I can't really say if your description fits me. Of course you think that your depiction of me is perfect."

I just shrugged in response. We fell into silence again and I took notice than I had unconsciously moved closer to him and had interlocked my fingers behind his neck. Even though I disliked him, I couldn't admit to myself that I was having a terrible time dancing with him.

"So do you and your family go into town often?" he asked politely.

"Yes." I said surprised at his politeness, then unable to stop myself I pushed further, "We made some new friends while in town recently." Seeing his cheeks darken I didn't go on but waited for him to elaborate.

"Jacob Wickham makes friends very easily," said Will frowning, "but maintaining that friendship is another story.

"He has sadly lost your friendship," I said rolling my eyes then narrowing them at him, "which will hurt him for the rest of his life."

An angry and frustrated look spread across Will's face but before he could say anything, Charlotte's father appeared next to us dancing with an embarrassed looking Maria. He pointed over to where Jane and Charles were dancing and asked me if Charles was Jane's boyfriend. I denied it but he just winked and waltzed off with Maria complaining the whole way. I looked back up at Will and he was seriously looking over at Jane and Charles. He blinked a couple times then returned his gaze back to mine.

"I don't remember what we were talking about." said Will frowning trying to recall, "What sort of books do you like?"

"You're asking me about books?" I asked sceptically raising my eyebrows, "Normally I would like to discuss books but I'm pretty positive that our preferences would be really different. Also we're at a party, I can't think about books at a time like this."

"You always live in the moment?" he asked doubtfully looking down at my arms around his neck. I nodded, not really understanding what he was getting at.

"Will, I remember you saying once," I began suddenly, the song had ended but Will made no move to leave so we continued to dance, "that you hold a grudge and your first impressions of people don't ever change." He just frowned in confusion and nodded in response.

"So you're never blinded by prejudice?" I asked and he nodded again in confusion.

"I guess you would have to be careful that you don't judge wrongly, because you never change your opinion of anyone, isn't that right?" I said as innocently as I could staring up at his wary expression.

"Why are you asking me these questions?" he asked unconsciously moving closer to me.

"Like I said before," I began trying not to let him see that as he moved closer I started to shiver, "I like to try and figure people out."

"And how are you making out?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not so good," I said shaking my head, "I keep hearing different opinions from different people, it's confusing me."

"I wish you wouldn't try to figure me out," he said very seriously looking intensely into my eyes, "at least not just now."

"But what if I don't have another opportunity?" I asked moving a little closer towards him.

"Don't worry," he said coldly removing his arms from around my waist and taking hold of my arms to gently remove them from his neck, "I wouldn't keep you from having fun." He stood holding my wrists for a moment and staring into my eyes, then he nodded to me and turned to walk quickly away.

"Lizzie!" exclaimed Caroline's nasally voice from behind me later that evening as I was getting another drink. I turned and gave a small smile; by the look on her face she had something unpleasant to tell me.

"I hear you have the biggest crush on Jake Wickham!" she said in a very loud whisper leaning closer to me and smiling widely, "Jane has been asking me all about him and at first I thought that she liked him but then of course, she seems to like my brother for some reason. Anyways, I don't know if you know, but Jake dropped out of school and now lives in some crap apartment with a bunch of other drop-outs! As a friend, I would urge you not to believe a word Jake says. I don't know all the details, but it was Will who was treated badly by Jake, not the other way around and now Will hates to even hear the guys name mentioned. I feel terrible for you Lizzie, finding out that you're boyfriend isn't who he says he is." From the smile on her face as she said this I could tell she had no sympathy for me.

"For your information Caroline," I said lowering my voice and glaring at her, "Jake told me himself that he's not in school anymore and he's not a drop-out nor is he my boyfriend!" Caroline merely flipped her red hair over her shoulder and stalked away. I stood rooted on the spot and tried to control my anger. I bet Will put her up to this, he must have realized that I knew the truth about him and Caroline was only willing to do whatever he wanted! I stomped over to where Jane was talking with Charles and she looked up at me with the happiest smile on her face. Seeing my expression, Charles excused himself and left Jane and I alone.

"I didn't mean to drive Charles away," I apologized sheepishly, "but I do want to know what you have found out about Jake. Caroline said that you asked her about him."

"Yes I talked to Charles as well," began Jane smiling more at the mention of his name, "he's never met Jake before, but he said that he has treated Will badly. I really don't think that Jake can be trusted completely."

"Charles only thinks that because Will has obviously told him his version of the story!" I cried, but then I put my hand on Jane's arm and smiled at her, "Of course I don't blame Charles, it's just what he heard. But none of this changes the way I think of Will or Jake; Will is still a jerk and Jake is a nice, sweet guy."

Charlotte joined us a moment later and we began discussing more pleasant things. I was laughing at something Charlotte had said when I heard another piggy sounding laugh join in. I cringed and turned to see Colin standing directly behind be.

"Did you know," Colin began in his annoying voice that reminded me of a dying weasel, "I found out that Will Darcy is the godson of my neighbour Lady Catherine! I must go talk to him!"

"Colin!" I began horrified, Colin would just end up embarrassing himself in front of Will who was most likely to insult him. As much as I would have loved to see Colin finally put down, it was just cruel to see someone as ignorant as him bested by someone as intelligent as Will, "You can't, he's just going to-"

"I do not ignore your advice, dear Lizzie," said Colin putting a 'reassuring' hand on my shoulder, "but I must do this." He dropped his hand lifted his chin up and walked towards where Will was standing talking to Charles. Jane and I exchanged frightened looks. Colin tapped Will on the shoulder and began what looked like another one of his long winded speeches. I was afraid that Will was going to make Colin look like a fool but instead he just looked at Colin with a curious expression on his face. Once Colin finished his speech Will gave a short reply then nodded to Colin and walked away. Colin walked back to stand with us and assured Jane and I that Will was very polite and kind to our surprise.

I went into the house shortly after Colin's strange conversation with Will to get something to eat. As I was filling up a small plate my mother and Charlotte's mother appeared next to me and began getting food as well. They were discussing Jane's situation with Charles and I could tell my mother was enjoying herself thoroughly. I felt terribly for Mrs. Lucas every time my mother patted her on the arm and wished that Charlotte would have the same luck as Jane boyfriend-wise. They then changed the subject to Will Darcy. My mother was loudly insulting him and as much as I didn't like him, it was extremely embarrassing. She wouldn't listen to me when I tried to quiet her and I could only hope that Will was outside and could not hear my mother. But of course when I turned around to return to the back patio, Will was standing in the door way with a disgusted look on his face. I could feel my face was flaming red with embarrassment.

Instead of going back outside I went to sit with Jane on a couch to eat. Charles soon joined us with a plate and we began talking. The sounds of a familiar melancholy song began and I looked across the room to see Mary sitting behind the piano. Before I could get up and stop her, she began to sing one of the songs she had written after our cat had died last summer. Her wavering scratchy voice carried through the whole room and I looked at Jane to see if she was just as mortified as I was but she was still talking to Charles with a happy smile on her pretty face. I scanned the room for my father and found him looking at me with the same pained look on his face. I widened my eyes and jerked my head towards Mary and he nodded. He walked over to Mary and waited for her to finish the song then closed her piano book and guided her away from the piano muttering about how most people don't enjoy hearing about dying cats with liver tumours.

"I wish I could sing and play like that," began Colin in a loud voice that I'm sure the people living in the next town could hear, "I would play and perform for all my friends..." I tuned out his voice and put my head in my hands. Tonight it seemed that everyone in my family besides Jane had done everything in their power to embarrass our family. I could hear quiet laughter and looked up to see Louisa and Caroline trying to keep straight faces and having a hard time. Most people just stared at him but my mother was nodding seriously and my father just looked amused.

For the rest of the evening Colin stuck to me like a leech and only danced with Charlotte after I persuaded him to. During that brief moment of temporary happiness of relief I tried to find Jane, but of course I wasn't fast enough and after the song was over Colin found me again. If it wasn't for Charlotte I think I might have punched Colin by the end of the evening; she kept the conversation light was nice enough to dance with him again. I didn't speak to Will again and by the look on his face I could tell he was having a terrible time. Good.

We were the last ones to leave and my mother kept up the conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Bingley to give Jane and Charles more time together. Louisa and Caroline both went upstairs without saying goodbye and Will retired as well. When my mother's stalling was getting ridiculous I hastened to leave and we finally left to go.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

The end of July was concluded with a bout of heat and an awkward proposition from Colin who was to leave the next day. Colin appeared in the door way of the living room the morning after the party at the Bingley's and asked to speak to me privately causing my mother to clap her hands in excitement with a gleeful look on her face which went unnoticed by Colin who was staring at me with a stupid smile on his face.

"Come along Kitty," my mother said loudly, winking at me and jerking her head towards the doorway at Kitty "I have a job for you upstairs."

"No really, you don't have to leave," I said laughing feebly looking terrified, "whatever Colin has to say, he can say it in front of you!"

"No Lizzie!" said my mother firmly interrupting Colin from objecting and from Kitty sitting down again, "You will listen to Colin while Kitty and I go upstairs-sit Lizzie!" I had gotten up from the couch, "I insist!" Kitty gave me an apologetic looked and followed my mother upstairs. Before disappearing up the stairs my mother leaned over the railing and looked at me sternly.

I sighed and sat back down on the couch returning to my book and trying to ignore Colin. This was proving to be difficult as he sat down next to me, yawned, stretched his arms and put one on the back of the couch behind me. I immediately slammed my book jumped up and sat in my father's chair across from him.

"What is it you wanted to tell me Colin?" I asked mustering up as much politeness as I could.

"The fact that you are ignorant to my affections just adds to your perfections," Colin said leaning forward and focusing his shallow green eyes on my face, "also the way you have hidden your feelings from me makes this ordeal much more enjoyable, I have always loved a chase! As soon as I arrived here-well, almost as soon as I arrived- I knew I wanted you to be my girlfriend. But before I am lost to my emotions, I want to explain to you why I have decided to ask you this." Although I was astonished at what I was hearing, the idea of Colin 'losing himself to his emotions' was just so funny that I was unable to interrupt him because I was too busy trying not to laugh.

"The first reason is that almost all of my friends have girlfriends and our relationship would give me the ability to relate with my friends, understand them and fit in. The second reason is that Lady Catherine wants me to have an understanding of women before I marry, this is very wise of her, she's always is looking out for me. When you come to visit me I will introduce you and I'm sure she would love your personality, the way I do. My third reason is that your father has been very kind to me in his will and I know your mother told me that you were having troubles securing a date for this end of summer charity party. This relationship would express my gratitude to your father and satisfy your mother. And now," Colin said taking a breath, standing up and taking one of my hands between one of his clammy ones, "all that is left is for me to express to you the violence of my affections." Before I had any idea of what was happening Colin pulled me up so that I was standing then proceeded to kiss me. The shock of his speech and what he was about to do paralyzed me so that I could do nothing but feel his chapped lips touch mine. My mind began to unfreeze as I smelt olives on his breath, this didn't make sense, we had pancakes this morning. Did he have a stash of olives hiding in his suitcase or something? In this momentary lapse of sensibility on my part due to shock, Colin decided it was best to stick his tongue in my mouth.

"Colin!" I shouted disgusted pushing him away as hard as I could and wiping my mouth on my sleeve, "What was that for? I haven't said yes, and I don't plan on it! Thanks for asking me, but it's just not possible for me to be your girlfriend!"

"I knew you would say that," Colin said breathlessly getting up from the floor where I had pushed him, "but I know you're just playing hard to get. This rejection will not discourage me!" He made to try to kiss me again, but I ran behind the couch so that there was an obstacle between us.

"I am not like that Colin!" I said angrily, "I'm not the type to play hard to get! I'm serious when I say I don't want to be your girlfriend! Also I'm sure that Lady Catherine would not like me, and I'm sure you won't either once you accept my refusal and my apology-"

"But of course Lady Catherine will like you as I do!" interrupted Colin moving around to the side of the couch just as I moved the other way to keep distance between us, "She will be proud to know I have found such a pretty and modest girlfriend!"

"Please Colin!" I said raising me voice and losing my patience, "You don't need to flatter me. I will not attend the charity event as you girlfriend!"

"I hope that when I ask you again tonight you will have a more positive answer." said Colin smiling and undeterred, "Because I hope that you will take the time to think over your hasty decision. My mother and Lady Catherine both have told me that any girl would be very lucky to go out with me, and of course it isn't very likely that anyone will ask you in the next few weeks to go to the event." He smiled as he insulted me unknowingly moving around the couch again causing me to back away towards to doorway of the living room.

"Thank you once again for asking me," I said through clenched teeth trying not to shout at him, "but I can't go out with you, I have no romantic feelings towards you and never will. Please accept my apologies once again and-" Colin moving faster than I thought possible moved around the couch and grabbed my hands and began to flatter me again. Before I could stop myself I kneed him right in his manhood department. He let out a girlish shriek of pain, staggered back then fell onto the couch. Satisfied, I spun around and stomped angrily up the stairs where I found Kitty and Lydia collapsed on the floor squealing with laughing and my mother glaring at me.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

I didn't bother speaking to my sisters or my mother, I quickly slipped past them then went into my room and slammed the door. I could hear my mother hurrying down the stairs and talking to Colin, but I couldn't make out what she was saying thanks to Lydia and Kitty's hysterical laughter sounding down the hall from my room.

I sat fuming on my bed caught up in my thoughts and thinking about Colin's surprising persistence that I didn't hear the knock on my door. My first instinct was that it was Colin but I was proven wrong when Jane stuck her head around the door and smiled sympathetically. She entered my room and closed the door softy behind her before sitting next to me on my bed. Jane was about to say something, but I could hear my mother coming up the stairs and before I could lock my bedroom door, she burst in looking angry.

"Lizzie!" she shouted, "You have been very impolite to Colin and very silly! You must go back down there and tell him that you would be honoured to attend the charity event with him, and be his girlfriend! I have had enough of this 'head-strong' business with you, it comes to an end! You will do as I say and that's final!" After this loud exclamation, my father, who had been in the shower judging by his wet grey hair during this commotion, came into my room looking very surprised.

"Lizzie will not go out with him!" my mother yelled at my father who looked unconcerned, "And soon he won't want to go out with her!"

"Who and what are you talking about?" he asked my mother who narrowed her eyes at him and informed him that it was obviously Colin.

"And what do you want me to do about it?" my father asked smiling at me.

"Tell her that she MUST go out with him!" my mother shrieked, "You know very well how embarrassing it would be for me if one of my daughters does not have a date! I would never hear the end of it from the committee girls, and I've already told them that Lizzie was going to go with Colin! We had agreed that each of our families should set the example of a united and friendly community otherwise people may not want to donate! Our town will really benefit from this event but Lizzie is going to selfishly ruin-"

"Lizzie I'm sure that you will find another date by the time of the charity event," said my father smiling at me then looking cheerfully grave, "but if you don't and our town is ruined, then I'm afraid I can't call you my daughter anymore."

"Jane?" my mother pleaded looking hopeless, "Please help Lizzie to see reason?" Jane gave my mother a timid, but kind reply then left my room at the sound of the doorbell. Both my mother and father left with Jane and went downstairs closing my door and leaving me alone.

I could hear slow heavy footsteps pass my door that I knew belonged to Colin and prayed that he wasn't going to barge in and ask me again. Thankfully he proceeded past my room and went into the guest room shutting the door quietly and rummaging around.

"Lizzie?" Jane called up the stairs a moment later, "Charlotte's here!"

"Here she is," my mother said as I entered the living room a minute later, "ungrateful child. You have no idea what I suffer!" My mother stood up dramatically from her chair and went past me into the kitchen with a cold look on her face. My father rolled his eyes and followed her patting me on the shoulder as he went by.

"Ah, hello Charlotte." said Colin from the doorway to the living room. I turned to see that he had his bags packed and sitting at the bottom of the stairs, "I was wondering if I could stay the next two nights at your house before I catch the train on Saturday? Of course this is short notice but I can't stay here when I feel so very unwelcome." He narrowed his eyes at me but then looked at Charlotte hopefully who stood up from the couch.

"Err...sure Colin." said Charlotte very politely walking towards the door.

"Thank you for having me here Mr. and Mrs. Bennet," he said formally when my mother and father entered the living room again, "it is not your fault that your daughter is so rude and so blind to her feelings. Goodbye."

We all followed Charlotte and Colin to the door, my father shook his hand, and watched as they walked down the sidewalk to Charlotte's house. My mother closed the door after them with a frown on her face and Mary looked oddly sad as we went back into the living room.

"He's gone! He's gone!" sang Kitty as she and Lydia began laughing and skipping around celebrating Colin's departure, "Three cheers for Lizzie! Colin's been driven away!"

"I guess we won't have to put that garden snake in his bed tonight." said Kitty as she stopped skipping and looked at Lydia, "I guess we'll just put it back outside?"

"No worries," said Lydia gleefully as she grabbed Kitty's hands and began to twirl her around "I put it his suitcase when he was downstairs proposing his undying love to Lizzie!"


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

About half an hour after Colin left, Jane and I were about to leave to go to Katie's house when the door bell rang. Lydia ran to answer it and we all jumped when she let out a piercing shriek of laughter.

"You'll never guess who it is!" she snickered as she ran back to join us in the living room. To my horror, Colin appeared behind her carrying his bags with a sheepish yet defiant look on his pudgy face followed by Charlotte.

"Charlotte was kind enough to offer me a bed at her house for the night, but her parents would not allow it." he said setting his bags down, "I completely understand, after all they don't know me, but I always assumed that I make a good first impression on people." Lydia and Kitty snickered at this statement, "I'm spending the evening with Charlotte but I shall be sleeping here...and eating here."

"Yes alright," said my father politely standing up and leading them back to the front door, "Mary will you bring Colin's bags back upstairs? We'll see you for dinner then Colin, have a good time with Charlotte today!"

"Mr. Bennet," said Colin standing in the open doorway looking fearfully at my mother's gardens outside, "are there many snakes in the garden out there? One must have gotten into my suitcase on the way over to Charlotte's house when I left earlier."

"Oh yes, plenty," my father said cheerfully ushering Charlotte and Colin outside, "they're not poisonous of course, but then again what do I know about snakes? Good afternoon!"

Jane and I left soon after Colin and Charlotte's second departure and headed over to Katie's house to swim in her pool. To my great delight, Jake was at Katie's house with Denny and a few other people when we got there. For most of the afternoon we sat beside each other in Katie's pool side chairs talking. He briefly explained the reason for his absence from the party at the Bingley's and then dove into the pool. I dove in after him and we lay on a floating pool bed together talking until Jane and I left to go home for dinner.

After dinner and scrubbing the chlorine smell from my hair I spent most of the evening in my room with Jane quietly talking about my ordeal with Colin. We were constantly interrupted by Kitty or Lydia poking their heads in my room and quoting bits of Colin's speech, though he was downstairs in the living room watching T.V with Charlotte.

"Jane," I said lying back on my bed and covering my face with my hands after slamming my bedroom door on my giggling sisters for the third time, "why is it that only the weird guys are interested in me and all the normal ones like you? Is there something wrong with me?"

"Of course there's nothing wrong with you! What do you mean only the weird ones like you?" Jane asked looking up from her laptop and giving me a confused look, "Remember at the beginning of the school, Peter Allus liked you? He seemed nice."

"Yes, but when he took me out for dinner, all he talked about was how his big toes were cut off at woodworking camp, and he kept looking under the table at my toes like he wanted to steal them!" I said throwing my hands up in frustration.

"Well," Jane said carefully, "what about David Labeo? Wasn't he on the swim team with you? I thought you said that you two made out in the hot tub after practice one time?"

"Yes, but he had extremely chapped lips and he plays that childish Yugioh card game!" I said glaring at Jane, "You're boyfriends have always been normal! And I'm sure that their breath never reeked of-"

"Dearest Elizabeth!" shouted Lydia in a deep voice throwing open my bedroom door and running across my room to kneel in front of me, "all that is left is for me to express to you the violence of my affections!" Kitty began howling with laughter out in the hall way and Lydia collapsed on the floor giggling uncontrollably.

"Get out of my room you bloody twat!" I shouted as I rolled Lydia out into the hall way then slammed the door on my incapacitated sisters. I stomped back over to my bed and sat down next to Jane who put her arm around me. A few seconds later her laptop beeped indicating a new e-mail in her inbox. She squeezed my shoulders then turned to read the e-mail.

"It's from Caroline." she said surprised and I watched as her smile faded, then her whole expression darkened as her blue eyes scanned the screen. When she finished reading, she looked up at me and smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, "Louisa, Charles, Will and Caroline have all gone to spend the rest of the summer in London with some of their school friends. She says that they won't be back until the next school holiday to visit their parents, that's in October!"

"WHAT?" I yelled spinning her laptop around and reading the e-mail for myself. I skimmed over Caroline's shallow promises of everlasting friendship and intentions of keeping in touch, "They can't spend the whole summer in London! Can you imagine how hot it must be in the city? No, I bet they'll be back soon enough, I mean they just moved here!"

"She says that only Charles and Will need to go into town to get ready for university," Jane said glumly turning the laptop around and reading the e-mail over again, "but she and Louisa miss their friends and want to see Will's sister again so they plan to spend the rest of the summer in the city as well."

"Is this the plan for Charles, Will and Louisa as well," I asked doubtfully, "or is Caroline just speaking for herself?"

"No she means all of them," Jane said expressionless, then looking hurt as she looked up at me, "but the last part of her e-mail does make me sad. She mentions Georgiana again and insinuates that Charles and her are in a relationship, or soon will be in one. I guess Charles only ever thought of me as nothing but a friend and Caroline must have noticed my feelings for him and kindly warned me to be careful, so that I don't get my feelings hurt."

"Jane!" I said exasperated hitting her on the head with my pillow, "You really are an idiot! Can't you see that Caroline knows that Charles likes you! If she wasn't so in love with Will I'm sure that she wouldn't have bothered in the first place. The only reason I can think of her keeping him away from you is that you're not as posh, or as chic, or as rich as their London friends! She's gone into London with Charles to try and convince him to go out with someone she isn't embarrassed by-not that you're embarrassing in the least- Georgiana!"

"Caroline isn't like that," said Jane weakly hugging her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them, "you shouldn't talk about her that way."

"When Charles get's back and asks you out," I said ignoring her last comment, "are you prepared to spend more time with his evil sisters? You must think carefully young Jedi," I said grinning and earning a weak smile from Jane, "do you like this storm trooper enough to undergo constant exposure to the dark side?"

"You're so nerdy Lizzie!" she said laughing then standing up and looking worried again, "Do you really think that he'll come back this summer? I mean they left today, and it's only the beginning of August."

"Patience Anakin," I said sitting cross-legged and waving around my imaginary light sabre with my eyes closed, "he will return soon enough, the force is strong in you and he won't be able to resist. Now leave me apprentice, I must meditate."

"Okay Master Kenobi." Jane said smiling and leaving my room closing the door behind her.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

A loud crash woke me up the morning after Colin's embarrassing proposition. I heard someone cursing downstairs, then heavy footsteps down the hall and the front door opening then closing.

I jerked up to a sitting position and stumbled to my window just in time to see Colin limping down the sidewalk with a box of fruit loops under one arm and a bouquet of what looked like mostly grass with a few dandelions sticking haphazardly out of the bunch. I watched as he turned the corner and disappeared, no doubt going to Charlotte's house.

I sighed in annoyance and walked out into the hallway where Kitty and Lydia were shrieking and pounding on my parents' bedroom door.

"Lizzie! Thank god your here!" yelped Kitty grabbing me and hugging me, "I think someone's broken into the house!"

"Really Kitty," I sighed and rolled my eyes while patting her on the head, "and what do you think I could possibly do to fight off this burglar?"

"I don't know?" yelled Lydia throwing her hands up in the air, "Why don't you play some of that Coldplay crap and put him to sleep?"

"I have an even better idea," I growled narrowing my eyes at Lydia, "why don't you sit him down and force him to watch Camp Rock or High School Musical! Then he won't have a soul anymore just like you and Kitty and every other immature, sad excuse for a human being! Besides there is no burglar, it was just Colin being a noisy prat!"

Lydia and Kitty glared at me for a moment then together they ran downstairs. My father opened his bedroom door with his grey hair standing up in wild bunches and his glasses turned sideways on his face. He looked at me with a bewildered expression and then looked towards where Lydia and Kitty had disappeared, comprehension appearing on his face as he heard them giggle loudly. He smiled knowingly, kissed the top of my head and proceeded downstairs to his books.

Colin, Charlotte and Mr. Lucas came over for lunch later that day and I could tell Charlotte was hiding something from me. I could also see that Colin had some sort of secret as well- by the way he acted as if something was shoved up him bottom- and it was unusual that he hadn't blurted it out yet. Near the end of lunch, I asked Charlotte to come up to my room, and I was surprised when Colin didn't follow us, instead he smiled alluringly at Charlotte and continued to eat another burger. I felt like throwing up.

"Charlotte," I began slowly once we were in my room and the door was safely closed, "I feel like we haven't talked in a while. I know you're keeping something from me, but if it's too personal then you don't have to tell me."

"You know me too well Lizzie," she smiled nervously and looked down at her blue socks, "and yes I want to tell you something." She looked up at me for a moment then began pacing across my room, but she didn't elaborate.

"You have been spending a lot of time with Colin in the past few days," I stated thoughtfully trying to lighten the mood and get her talking while twirling my imaginary beard, "are the two of you eloping to France?" I began to laugh but it died in my throat when I saw Charlotte spin around, her cheeks a flaming red colour.

"Of course we're not e-e-eloping," she said still shocked but embarrassed now, "we're just going to the charity party together and...he asked me if I would leave with him tonight to spend a week at his house...he wants to introduce me to Lady Catherine as his-his...girlfriend." She looked up to meet my horrified gaze.

"You must be joking, that's impossible." I said flabbergasted, "I mean it's _Colin_...besides how could you say yes after what he did just yesterday..."

"There's nothing wrong with Colin," Charlotte said defensively narrowing her eyes at me, "and just because he asked you yesterday, it doesn't mean he's never going to ask me or anyone else! Or did you think that no one would ever ask me? Is that impossible?"

"No Charlotte, you know that's not what I meant-" I said holding my hands up realizing my mistake.

"Do I? You know I've never had a boyfriend before," she said angrily cutting me off, "I've always watched you and Jane and every other girl at school go out on dates and have nice boyfriends. You know I'm not a romantic person Lizzie, but Colin and I have become good friends and that's enough for me. Besides, my mom was so happy when she found out I had a date. She was different than me when she was a teenager; always out with boys on Friday nights and sometimes I used to think I was a bit of a disappointment to her. I think you're jealous too, because you don't have a date, and I do for the first time in my life. "

"Charlotte," I softly, "I'm sorry if I insulted you, but-"

"I'll see you at the charity party Lizzie." Charlotte said turning and leaving my room.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

I sat down on my bed and put my head in my hands. How could Charlotte think I meant she wasn't capable of getting a boyfriend? And why did she agree to go out with Colin? I sat for a few moments more, and I realized that this was the first argument we'd ever had. I was hurt that she would assume that I was jealous, and that I wasn't looking out for her happiness. Colin would drive her mad!

I slowly got up and made my way back down stairs where I almost ran into Mr. Lucas. He was backing away from Kitty, Lydia and my mother who were questioning him with disbelieving looks on their faces. I looked around for Charlotte and Colin, but I noticed they're shoes were gone from the front door mat.

"It's true," Mr. Lucas said sincerely with a frightened look on his face, "Colin came around this morning and asked Charlotte. She's leaving with him and staying for a week."

"You can't be serious!" laughed Lydia, "Just yesterday Colin was professing his undying affections for-"

"I'm so sorry Mr. Lucas," I said clamping my hand over Lydia's mouth and smiled brightly at him, "my sisters don't get out much. Thank you for coming over!"

He smiled warily and backed out the front door nodding to my father who was standing next to my speechless mother.

"I can't believe Charlotte was so stupid to agree to that!" Burst out Lydia after biting my hand once Mr. Lucas was a safe distance away, causing Kitty to giggle.

"I can't believe that Charlotte Lucas has a date to my charity party and my own seventeen year old daughter does not!" my mother exclaimed striding into the living room. I followed behind her and sank onto the couch across from Mary.

"I can't believe it's not butter." muttered Mary quietly keeping her eyes on the book she had her nose buried in earning eye rolls from Lydia and Kitty.

"Charlotte isn't stupid," I said narrowing my eyes at Lydia who gave me a disbelieving look, "she's just...a little confused right now."

"I think we all agree that she's a little more than confused," Lydia laughed, "she's insane!"

"Lizzie," Jane said quickly before I could voice my opinion on Lydia's sanity, "I need your help upstairs in my room."

I got up from the couch, glared at Lydia then followed Jane up to her room. I sat down on her bed and looked up at her face. I was shocked to see how sad she looked, I knew it wasn't because of the recent events with Charlotte, so I could only assume it had something to do with Charles.

"Caroline e-mailed me this morning," Jane said looking out her window and avoiding my eyes, I could see tears in hers "she said that they're aren't' going to come back this summer, they're staying in London."


End file.
